Spanish Maritime Action Ship (BAM in its Spanish initials) ‘Tornado’ with home port in Las Palmas, the Canary Islands departed on Thursday morning to participate in Operation ‘Atalanta’. The ‘Tornado’ is the fourth ship of her class to participate in operation ‘Atalanta’, an EU maritime security mis
The Italian Frigate ITS Libeccio, which is currently deployed with the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta, has provided medical assistance to a dhow in need of help near the Horn of Africa. During a patrol flight, one of the helicopters of ITS Libeccio spotted a dhow t
Defence and security company Saab’s Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Skeldar is now operationally deployed on-board the offshore patrol vessel BAM Meteoro. Skedlar is supporting the Spanish Navy with surveillance capabilities while taking part in the EU Atalanta operation in the Gulf of Aden. Earlier th
On Tuesday November 12, marines of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps, embarked on the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atlanta flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt, have executed a parachute jump exercise in the Gulf of Aden. The marines are part of the Enhanced Boarding Element of HNLMS Johan
More than 200 participants including representatives from African nations, the shipping industry, legal experts and NATO discussed the continuing threat of piracy off the eastern African coast at an international conference held in Djibouti this week. The meeting was the 15th Plenary of the Contact
On Monday, 11 November 2013, the EU Naval Force Operation Atalanta Flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt, has hosted the Contact Group of Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) during the Counter Piracy Week in the port of Djibouti. Government representatives from all over the world took the opportunity to
The UK’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ship, Fort Victoria, simultaneously refueled the Australian ship, HMAS Melbourne, and the Norwegian ship, HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen, in balmy conditions off the north-eastern coast of Somalia. This risky manoeuvre requires nerves of steel from each ship’s captain and
Maritime forces from the United States, 10 East African and two European nations, along with several international organizations, commenced the multinational maritime exercise Cutlass Express 2013, Nov. 11. Exercise Cutlass Express 2013, held in several operational areas in waters off East Africa, i
Onboard RFA Lyme Bay, which is part of European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta, the Boarding teams from the Fleet Contingency Troop and K Company 43 Commando Royal Marines have taken advantage of the Lynx MK 8 that embarked from RFA Fort Austin to practice fast roping techn
The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group reentered the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR) after transiting the Suez Canal, Nov. 8. The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), along with embarked Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11, Carrier Air Wing 11, and Destroyer Squadron 23, spent nearly three weeks in
On Sunday NATO’s counter-piracy Operation OCEAN SHIELD warship HDMS ESBERN SNARE boarded two small craft and detained nine suspected pirates, following an attack in the area the previous day. On the previous day, the Danish flagged vessel TORM KANSAS reported she was attacked unsuccessfully by pirat
The Lithuanian Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment (AVPD), deployed with the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta since August 2013, is tasked with the protection of the World Food Programme (WFP) ship MV Caroline Scan. Embarked on the Caroline scan around the clock, the AVPD en
Just a few weeks after the Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant, issued another warning about the on-going piracy threat, there have been two more piracy related incidents off the Somali coast. The first incident happened on Tuesday 5 November, when EU Naval Force Germ
General Sir Richard Shirreff, KCB CBE, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) paid a visit to NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) on Wednesday, 6 November 2013, and met with its Commander, Vice Admiral Peter Hudson, CBE. The two NATO leaders took the opportunity for an exchange of views
