The Finnish Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment (AVPD), deployed with the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta since March 2013, is tasked with the protection of the World Food Programme (WFP) ship MV Caroline Scan. Embarked on the Caroline scan around the clock, the AVPD ensure
The Navy and Lockheed Martin, with Marinette Marine Corp., held a keel-laying ceremony for the future USS Little Rock, the Navy’s ninth littoral combat ship (LCS), June 27, in Marinette, Wis. The keel-laying ceremony recognizes the first joining together of a ship’s components. While modern shipbuil
During the past week the NATO Shipping Centre received reports on two incidents involving fishing vessels in the High Risk Area. The first is a report of a pirated fishing vessel, while the second incident appears to be a SOLAS related accident. The first report confirms that pirates continue to dis
Back in 2011, a total of 16 warships, submarines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels supported humanitarian, embargo and combat operations off the coast of Libya, either under NATO’s Operation Unified Protector or the UK’s Operation Ellamy. These included elements of the Royal Navy’s Response Force Ta
Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) has a new German Commander. Captain Marco Von Koelln (German Navy) handed over command of SNMCMG2 to Commander Mathias Seipel (German Navy) on Monday, 24 June 2013. The ceremony took place at the Hellenic Naval Base in Souda Bay, Crete, and was pr
On Saturday afternoon (22 June), EU Naval Force Italian warship, ITS Zeffiro and Chinese Navy warship CNS Mianyang, which are both conducting counter piracy operations, met at sea in the choppy waters of the Gulf of Aden. The aim of the meeting was to enable CNS Mianyang to take over escort duties o
Rear Adm. Mark L. Tidd, Chief of Navy Chaplains, arrived aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) June 26. Tidd visited the Nimitz Strike Group to conduct training with chaplains while also visiting Sailors and leaders. “I appreciate the opportunity to be aboard Nimitz and to spend a little b
The Royal Australian Navy has joined forces with the United States Navy (USN) and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) to participate in a tri-lateral exercise, Pacific bond 2013, June 22-26. Pacific Bond is a multi-national naval exercise designed to advance participating nations’ military-to-
The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans today announced funding of up to $488M to procure 18-21 new vessels for the Coast Guard Fleet. Minister MacKay made the announcement during the 2013 Mari-Tech Confe
HMS Penzance is in the throes of demanding training after completing a six-month revamp in Rosyth. The Faslane-based warship is now Britain’s most up-to-date minehunter following the refit, which prepared her for impending duties with a NATO task group. After six months in refit – four of those out
Amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) along with embarked Pacific Partnership 2013 personnel arrived in Noumea, New Caledonia, June 25. While in port, U.S. and partner nation service members along with non-governmental organization volunteers will get a chance to experience liberty
A new commanding officer took charge of the Blue Crew of the ballistic-missile submarine USS Nevada (SSBN 733) June 21 in a ceremony at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor’s Deterrent Park. Cmdr. James McIver relieved Cmdr. Alan Schrader. “I did everything I could in this tour to ensure that Nevada met her mis
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Marine Meteorology Division and Space Science Division have been awarded the Department of the Navy Acquisition Excellence Technology Transition Award presented by Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, Sean J. Stackley, Ma
On June 24, members of the Somali Federal Government flew on board the EU Naval Force Portuguese flagship, NRP Alvares Cabral, at sea off Mogadishu. They held talks with the EU Special Envoy to Somalia, the Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force Atalanta, and the Head of Mission for EUCAP NESTOR,
