On May 2nd, members of the European Parliament Sub Committee on Security and Defence visited the Operational Headquarters of the European Union’s counter piracy mission – Operation Atalanta. The Sub Committee visitors were briefed on the role of the EU Naval Force Somalia, and given an update on the
DCNS and its local partners recently delivered the sixth and final Skjold-class fast patrol boat to the Royal Norwegian Navy. The six-boat Skjold programme is led by a consortium comprising DCNS and two Norwegian contractors with DCNS acting as the combat system design authority and co-supplier. The
Portsmouth-based Royal Navy minehunter HMS Ledbury sails on Tuesday (May 7) for a four-month NATO mission in the Mediterranean. She will be working as part of a permanent multinational maritime force in the area known as Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 2 (SNMCMG2). The group works througho
The flagship of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR), NRP Alvares Cabral has conducted a fast-rope insertion exercise on a World Food Programme (WFP) vessel, providing the opportunity for Portuguese sailors to meet their Finnish colleagues embarked on the WFP ship as an Autonomous Vessel Protection Detach
Divers from minehunter HMS Middleton swapped England’s south coast for the warm waters of Gibraltar for a week of high-tempo training. The five-strong team made full use of the facilities on the Rock, practising search techniques, helping stricken divers, lifting mines from the seabed and carrying o
The Royal Navy’s HMS Charger will visit Northwich this Saturday and Sunday (May 4-5), taking her more than 20 miles inland – rather an unusual place to find one of the UK’s maritime fighting force. HMS Charger is the Universities Royal Naval Unit patrol vessel for Liverpool and Lancaster universitie
Protecting World Food Programme (WFP) shipments to Somalia is a core task for EU Naval Force Somalia; ensuring the safe transportation of humanitarian aid to the Somali people. In 2013, WFP aims to bring humanitarian assistance to an estimated population of 1.56 million in Somalia. Since the beginni
The Commanding Officers of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship, HMS Bulwark, and HNLMS Rotterdam found a lull in the action of Exercise Joint Warrior to establish an affiliation between the two amphibious ships and recognise the strong relationship between their respective navies and amphibious forces.
Only 36 hours after taking over the Gulf patrol duties from HMS Monmouth, HMS Dragon seized a unique opportunity to replenish her fuel supplies. Whilst this is not an unusual method of sustaining a unit on Operations it would normally involve just two units side by side at sea. On this occasion howe
The Deputy Operation Commander (DCOM) of EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR), Rear Admiral Eric Dupont recently visited the Republic of the Seychelles in support of the opening of the new EUCAP NESTOR Seychelles Office. During the visit Rear Admiral Dupont conducted joint talks with the Head of Mission of EU
The U.S. company “TNT Inc.” Manager, Justin P. Webb, on Friday 26 April 2013 made a donation for the benefit of the Children’s Home “Maestral” from Split. The donation, raised from the tickets sold during the Adriatic Sea Defense and Aerospace Exhibition and Conference held in Split last week, was d
ITS San Marco, which is part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), is going to arrive at the port of Mombasa on Labour Day, according to Standardmedia.co.ke. The ship is part of NATO forces currently deployed within anti-piracy campaign Operation Ocean Shield alongside with two vessels f
EUCAP Nestor, EU Naval Force, and the Seychelles Coast Guard carried out a joint counter-piracy exercise in the Seychelles on 26 April. The exercise involved a mock interception of a suspected pirate skiff in Seychelles waters by the combined efforts of EU NAVFOR and the Seychelles Coast Guard. The
On 24 April the Force Commander of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta, Commodore Jorge Novo Palma, visited ESPS Rayo. It was the first time to personally meet Rayo’s Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Commander Rafael Hernandez Rodriguez, and his crew. During the short visit Rayo’
