A media day was held onboard the EU Naval Force Spanish flagship, ESPS PATIÑO alongside Mombasa Port on Thursday 15 March. The event was hosted by the EU Naval Force Commander, Rear Admiral Jorge Manso and the EU’s Head of Delegation in Kenya, Mr. Loedwijk Briet. They were also accompanied at the Me
Amount of pirate attacks off African coast sharply reduced in 2011, said French defense minister Gérard Longuet. About 200 attacks were registered in 2011 in contrast to 700 attacks in 2010; pirates captured 13 vessels in 2011, while in 2010 there were 30 ships, reports ITAR-TASS referring to Longue
HMAS Parramatta handed over duties to HMAS Melbourne in the Middle East maritime Area of Operations last week after completing a successful six-month maritime security and interception operation deployment as part of Operation SLIPPER rotation 27. HMAS Parramatta is now heading home to Fleet Base Ea
EU NAFVOR warship FGS BERLIN has successfully engineered the release of an Indian flagged dhow and crew, disrupting a Pirate Action Group and destroying two attack skiffs. On 28 February 2012, EUNAVFOR Warship FGS BERLIN received a distress call from a merchant vessel reporting that they had success
The Greek EU NAVFOR warship HS HYDRA used its recent port visit in Mombasa, Kenya, to support the Coast Province General Hospital and a local orphanage. In line with local support for countries of the Horn of Africa, HS HDRA provided medical supplies to the hospital. Medical supplies remain a scarce
On 22 February 2012, the EU NAVFOR combat support warship FGS BERLIN responded to a distress signal from a tanker that was under attack by suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden. On receipt of the radio call the FGS BERLIN immediately dispatched her two Seaking helicopters to the area while she close
EU NAVFOR hosted a press conference on 20 February 2012 to present an update on Operation ATALANTA, piracy off the Horn of Africa and a view towards future developments. The briefing was hosted by Operation Commander Rear Admiral Duncan L. Potts with Deputy Operation Commander Rear Admiral Rainer En
From its port in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, and travelling through the Red Sea into the area of operation off the Coast of Somalia, the FGS BERLIN joins the multi-national EU NAVFOR off the Horn of Africa , 17 February 2012. The FGS BERLIN is a class 702 combat supply ship, capable of refuelling and re
A team of 12 troops from Uganda, part of the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), received vessel protection training from French and Ukrainian specialists in Mombasa. The training is the second in an ongoing scheme and part of the comprehensive approach to improve AMISOM capabilities, in this case
On 27 January 2012, the Spanish Chief of Defense, Admiral Fernando García Sánchez, visited the EU NAVFOR Flagship, ESPS PATIÑO alongside in Djibouti, accompanied by the Spanish Chief of the Navy, Admiral Manuel Rebollo, Chief of the Air Force, General Jose Jimenez Ruiz, Commander of the Joint Comman
EU NAVFOR warship FGS LUEBECK re-located an Indian registered dhow which had been used as pirate mother-ship involved in the attack on M/V FLINTSTONE early the same day. A Dutch Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) stationed on the Dutch-registered civilian fall-pipe vessel had repelled the attack fol
On 17 January 2012, following coordination with a Danish Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft operating on a search mission for pirate ships, the Spanish Combat Supply Ship SPS PATIÑO, Flagship of Operation ATALANTA, assisted an Iranian flagged dhow which had run out of fuel off the Somali Co
It has been confirmed that the Spanish judicial authorities will prosecute the six Somali suspected pirates, who attacked the EU NAVFOR Flagship, the SPS PATINO on 12 January. Following receipt of the evidence package, the Spanish Audiencia Naciona has confirmed it will undertake judicial proceeding
At first light on 12 January 2012, having just completed the escort of a World Food Programme ship carrying food-aid into Somalia and while operating close to the Somali port of Mogadishu, the EU NAVFOR Flagship, the ESPS PATINO, was approached by one skiff with a group of suspected pirates onboard.