Spanish Navy’s Descubierta class patrol vessel Infanta Cristina (P-77) deployed for EU Naval Force’s Operation Atalanta. The vessel set sail on February 18 from Cartagena. Infanta Cristina will join the anti-piracy operation in the Indian Ocean to escort and protect World Food Programme vessels. Inf
On Monday 16th February, during one of her counter-piracy patrols in the Somali Basin, EU Naval Force Warship, ESPS Rayo, met local fishermen at sea. Meetings such as this help to develop a greater understanding of the pattern of life of local seafarers and strengthen mutual trust and cooperation. A
On Tuesday 16 February, EU Naval Force Commander, Rear Admiral Jonas Haggren, hosted the Commander of the Chinese Escort Task Group 547, Rear Admiral Jiang Gouping, on board EU Naval Force Flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt. EU Naval Force and Chinese naval commanders have met several times previously an
On Monday 16 February the Force Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Jonas Haggren (Swedish Navy), paid a visit to the Spanish Air Force Maritime Patrol Aircraft Orion Detachment based in Djibouti. Rear Admiral Haggren was accompanied by a delegation from his multi-national Force Headquarte
On Tuesday 10 February, Royal Netherlands Navy warship, HNLMS Johan de Witt, joined the EU Naval Force. The warship, which is a Landing Platform Dock, will be deployed in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden for three months as the EU Naval Force flagship. It will accommodate the Force Headquarters sta
On Sunday 15 February, the EU Naval Force flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt, and Japanese warship, JS Harusame, met at sea in the Gulf of Aden. The new Force Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Jonas Haggren, welcomed the Commander of the Japanese Escort Division 2, Captain Masatoshi Kashihara
As violence escalates in Libya, IOM is calling on world governments to act swiftly to face the growing threat to migrants. Over 1,600 have been rescued from unseaworthy boats on the Mediterranean Sea since Friday, February 13. IOM Director General William Lacy Swing said: This is a clear signal that
On Friday, February 13, 2015, Rear Admiral Jonas Haggren from the Royal Swedish Navy assumed command of Operation Atalanta’s Force Headquarters (FHQ) during a ceremony held in Djibouti. The new FHQ staff, which is embarked in Royal Netherlands Navy warship, HNLMS Johan de Witt, is made up from 15 Eu
The Italian Navy and Coast Guard saved more than 2000 migrants in a major rescue operation conducted yesterday. A total of 2,164 migrants, traveling from the Libyan coast, were rescued from a dozen boats near the island of Lampedusa, according to The Guardian. Some of the Italian coastguards were th
This week, warship TCG Buyukada (F-512), employed in the NATO counter piracy operation Ocean Shield, conducted several exercises with international naval forces from Japan, Australia, the Republic of Korea, and Oman. Vice Admiral Bruno Paulmier, Deputy Commander of NATO’s Allied Maritime Command, sa
During her recent port visit to the Seychelles EU Naval Force warship, ESPS Rayo, welcomed on board the Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Mr Maciej Popowski. Mr Popowski, who was accompanied by the Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Comission, Mr. Jean Claud
During her visit to Port Victoria, Seychelles, EU Naval Force warship, ESPS Rayo, hosted the Deputy Commander of Operation Atalanta, Rear Admiral Paolo Pezzutti. This was the first visit Rear Admiral Paolo Pezzutti has paid to an EU Naval Force warship since he took over the role of Deputy Commander
On Friday 6 February, during her visit to Port Victoria, Seychelles, EU Naval Force warship, ESPS Rayo, conducted Local Maritime Training. This was in support of the EU maritime capacity building mission and in coordination with EUCAP Nestor. After receiving a safety brief onboard the ship’s sea boa
On Sunday 7 February 2015, the EU Naval Force counter-piracy flagship, ITS Andrea Doria, provided urgent medical assistance to an injured seafarer, who had suffered a serious burns injury whilst at sea in his cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden. The cargo ship, which was transiting through the Internatio
