On Tuesday 20 October 2015, Operation Atalanta’s new flagship, ITS Carabiniere, was visited by the Operation Commander, Major General Martin Smith MBE. Major General Smith, together with the officer in charge of the Support Element Atalanta (SEA) based in Djibouti, Commander Philippe Dezoteux, was h
Italian vessel ITS Carabiniere conducted a replenishment at sea (RAS) with US Navy ship, USNS Carl Brashear, prior to joining Operation Atalanta on Friday, October 17. Having sailed into the counter-piracy sea areas in the Gulf of Aden, ITS Carabiniere went alongside USNS Carl Brashear to replenish
As part of its deployment to EU Naval Forces’ mission in the Horn of Africa, the Spanish Navy’s frigate Victoria was on a visit to the Seychelles archipelago between October 16 and 19. During its stay in port of Victoria, the capital of Seychelles, the vessel welcomed aboard the Honorary Consul of t
Italian warship, ITS Libeccio, started her journey home to La Spezia after completing her deployment with the European Union’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta on Tuesday, October 20. During the past four and a half months, ITS Libeccio conducted counter-piracy patrols, friendly approaches with loc
HMS Queen Elizabeth Tests 13-Tonne Anchors The mighty anchors on Britain’s biggest warship have been tested for the first time. Royal Navy’s Diamond Gets New Gadgets The new-look, souped-up HMS Diamond makes her way to sea for the first time since the summer of 2014. Infographic: Operation Sophia in
The EU anti-migrant smuggling operation in the Mediterranean sea, known as Operation Sophia, has entered its operational phase, aimed at boarding and seizing vessels suspected of being used for human smuggling and trafficking. The operational phase follows the first phase, launched June 22, which in
Spanish warship, ESPS Meteoro, conducted a refueling at sea in the Gulf of Aden with US resupply ship, USNS Pecos, which is currently attached to the Combined Maritime Forces. On Tuesday 6 October, As a replenishment at sea is a complex manoeuvre, both crews benefited from excellent weather conditio
Spanish warship, ESPS Victoria, has joined Operation Atalanta, the European Union’s counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia. She departed her home port in Spain on September 10. ESPS Victoria is a Santa María class frigate. Built in Spain, her design is based on the US Oliver Hazard Perry
Five and a half months after departing from her home port of Rota, Spain, the Spanish Landing Platform Dock (LPD), ESPS Galicia, has completed her counter-piracy deployment with Operation Atalanta in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. ESPS Galicia, under the command of Captain Rafael Fernández-Pinta
Rear Admiral Alfonso Gòmez Fernandez de Cordoba, (Spanish Navy), handed over the Force Command of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta, to Rear Admiral Stefano Barbieri (Italian Navy) at sea in the Gulf of Aden earlier today, October 8. During Rear Admiral de Cordoba’s time as
French Navy’s frigate FS Courbet joined EU Naval Force MED operation on October 2. The vessel departed from her home base in Toulon, France, with a Panther helicopter from the French Naval Aviation 36F Flottille, allowing it to significantly expand the scope of its sensors. Whilst with EUNAVFOR MED,
Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander, Rear Admiral Gómez de Cordoba visited Italian Warship, ITS Libeccio off the coast of Somalia on Friday, October 2. The Force Commander was welcomed on board ITS Libeccio by the ship’s commanding officer, Commander Daniele Paolo Maria Martinuzzi, and afterwards h
Three Spanish warships currently deployed off the coast of Somalia rendezvoused in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday, October 3. The Operation Atalanta flagship, ESPS Galicia and ESPS Victoria performed a simultaneous refuel with American supply ship, USNS Carl Brashaer. ESPS Galicia ensured that her fue
Dutch warship, HNLMS Groningen, which is currently deployed with Operation Atalanta as part of the European Union’s counter-piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia, gave medical treatment to a seafarer who had suffered a minor injury at sea on Saturday 26, 2015. After the Dutch marines were welcomed