Calmer waters seem to be on the horizon as the threat from Somali pirates is withering, NATO’s counter-piracy commander said, warning that the international forces shouldn’t lower their guard before the threat is completely removed. Speaking in figures, in the first half of 2012 the number of Somali
On 18 July the Force Commanders of the three international Counter-Piracy task forces, the EU Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta (EU NAVFOR), NATO Operation Ocean Shield (TF-508) and Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151; operated by the Combined Maritime Forces – CMF) met on board the NATO flagshi
On 27 June, Royal Navy personnel deployed to UK Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO) joined in the celebrations for Armed Forces Day 2012 by hosting a charity cake sale and tea party at the British Embassy in Dubai and were joined by some very distinguished visitors. The event took place at the Embas
A delegation of senior officials from the NATO headquarters International Staff and International Military Staff visited the flagship of Operation Ocean Shield in the Gulf of Aden earlier this week. On board the Dutch Frigate Evertsen, the delegation was shown a range of counter-piracy capabilities
On the afternoon of 4 July, in the rough seas of the Gulf of Aden, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Italian Frigate Scirocco rescued a Comoros flagged supply vessel which had been adrift and in total black out for more than 13 hours. The entire operation lasted in excess of 24 hours and was conducted [&he
On July 1, HNLMS Evertsen, the flagship of NATO’s counterpiracy mission Ocean Shield, handed over 7 Somalis suspected of piracy to the Royal Navy of Oman. The suspects and all of the evidence were transferred to the Omani navy ship RNOV Al Muazzar (C32). The suspects were apprehended in the morning
On the morning of June 28th 2012, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Italian Frigate Scirocco provided technical assistance to a tug type vessel which experienced an engine failure while sailing in international waters in the Gulf of Aden. In the evening on the 27th of June, ITS Scirocco was conducting a pa
Two days after HNLMS Evertsen released a hijacked dhow, the small ship sailed home today. Very grateful, the saved seafarers said goodbye to the flagship of the NATO counter-piracy operation Ocean Shield. “Of course we are here because of the importance of the sea lanes of communications and their r
After a two day hunt in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea, NATO’s flagship HNLMS Evertsen boarded a pirated dhow on June 29 and released seven hijacked Indian and Bangladeshi crew members. The Omani flagged dhow Nebarkad had been hijacked on 20th June off the coast of Oman, and was used by the pirate
From the 18th to 21st June 2012, EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) frigates Guépratte and Reina Sofia collaborated with USS Taylor, engaged in TF 508 (NATO) to escort World Food Programme chartered ship MV Tupi Maiden 3. The escort of WFP ship started in Salalah (Oman) and was performed by EUNAVFOR French f
On May 20, MARSIC (Maritime Security and Safety) members visited ESPS REINA SOFIA in Djibouti as part of the EU Naval Force’s regional maritime capacity building effort. ESPS REINA SOFIA had the opportunity to organise a visit and tour around the ship for a group of MARSIC members. The visit, which
The secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) visited Sailors and Marines assigned to amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), while the ship was in Aqaba, Jordan, for a port visit, April 26. SECNAV Ray Mabus, was in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility as part of a regional tour to thank
The Royal Australian Navy has handed over command of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) to the Pakistan Navy during a change of command ceremony on board Pakistan Naval Ship Badr in Bahrain. Commodore Jonathan Mead AM, RAN has handed over command to Commodore Mukhtar Khan SI(M) on 17 April, concludin
Two Sailors assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11, were each awarded their Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist (SCWS) qualification by Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus in a ceremony held on Camp Leatherneck, April 24. Yeoman 2nd Class Deron M. Bennett, from Lakewood, N.J., a
