Swedish Ocean Patrol Vessel (OPV) HSwMS Carlskrona joined the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta on 6 April 2013, in Djibouti. HMS Carlskrona is a 106 meter long OPV with a crew of 139, including the boarding team and helicopter crew. She is a former flagship of EU NAVFOR (2010)
On March 30, off the island of Masirah (Oman), the cargo bulk carrier ‘Atlantic Confidence’, Liberian flag, reported to have a fire in the engine room and requested assistance. Upon receiving the message, Admiral Antonio Natale, Commander of the NATO Task Force engaged in the fight against piracy of
Whilst operating in the Gulf of Aden as a part of the EU Naval Force counter-piracy mission, Operation Atalanta, the Dutch frigate HNLMS De Ruyter has refueled from the US auxiliary ship USNS Medgar Evers. The refueling was conducted via a Replenishment at Sea (RAS), an impressive event requiring co
On the morning of 27 March, the helicopter of Dutch EU Naval Force warship HNLMS De Ruyter landed on the flight deck of the Spanish EU Naval Force vessel ESPS Rayo, becoming the first helicopter from another Operation Atalanta unit to land on the Spanish warship. This helicopter landing occurred as
Royal Navy frigate HMS Northumberland has intercepted two high speed drug smuggling skiffs in the Gulf of Oman, carrying an estimated £5.4m of cannabis resin. Having identified two suspicious high speed skiffs during a routine patrol, the Plymouth-based frigate embarked on a 30 mile pursuit and inte
Royal Navy warship HMS Argyll has arrived in Dakar, Senegal for the start of a huge multi-national exercise off the coast of West Africa. The Type-23 frigate will represent the UK at Exercise Saharan Express which has been designed to improve cooperation for the participating nations while they oper
At the end of February the Luxembourg Maritime patrol and Reconnaissance (MPRA) Detachment returned to the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta counter piracy mission, having taken over MPRA duties from the Swedish Coast Guard MPRA unit operating from the Seychelles. During their pr
After navigating the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb strait, French frigate FS Courbet has joined EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta. The French frigate replaces the FS Surcouf, who has been operating within the EU counter-piracy operation since last December. On Monday 18 February
On 19 February, HNLMS De Ruyter, has stopped the activities of a group of suspected pirates approximately 120 nautical miles east of Eyl off the coast of Somalia. Nine suspected pirates were apprehended and taken on board of the De Ruyter. The Dutch frigate that is deployed with the European Union N
The Royal Netherlands Airforce’s newest helicopter, the NH-90, is on its way to Somalia on board HNLMS De Ruyter. It is the first overseas mission in which the maritime on-board helicopter will take part. Although in its current configuration it will not be able to carry out all mission tasks, the N
Following an attack in early January on a merchant vessel 260 miles off the Somali Coast, twelve men suspected of committing an act of piracy, were transferred on January 25 by EU Naval Force warship FS Surcouf to the Mauritian authorities for prosecution. When the attack happened on 5th January, th
In the evening of 5th January, a merchant vessel sailing 260 miles off the Somali Coast, made a distress call, reporting that she was coming under attack by six men in a fast moving boat, armed with rocket propelled grenades. Thankfully, having employed avoidance tactics, the merchant vessel was abl
Royal Navy destroyer HMS Edinburgh has returned to sea following a two week mid-deployment period of maintenance in Simon’s Town, South Africa. The Portsmouth-based ship will now continue with her Atlantic patrol and her third crossing of the South Atlantic so far in this deployment. After two month
Britain’s newest operational warship HMS Diamond traded places with HMS Monmouth as the latter relieved the Type 45 destroyer as the Royal Navy’s Gulf guardian. The two ships met up in the Gulf of Aden, where Diamond formally handed over responsibilities to the Black Duke before beginning the long r
