Ships assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group Two task unit 02 (SNMG2 TU.02) recently concluded a busy port visit in Casablanca, Morocco with a passing exercise and boarding exercise off the coast of Morocco. SNMG2 TU.02 led by Canadian Navy Commander Trevor MacLean included HMCS Fredericton (FFH 3
The international maritime exercise Phoenix Express 2016 was kicked off May 17, in the Mediterranean. Navies from Europe, North Africa, and the United States gathered to begin the 10th iteration of the exercise. Phoenix Express is sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and facilitated by U.S. Na
The EU Political and Security Committee on May 18 appointed Brigadier Robert Magowan, an officer from the British Royal Marines, as Operation Commander for the EU Naval Force Somalia, Operation Atalanta. Brigadier Magowan is taking the place of Major General Martin Smith. He is expected to take up h
EU NAVFOR’s Operation Atalanta has welcomed back the Spanish Navy frigate ESPS Santa Maria. The ship was previously deployed on Op Atalanta in 2011 and will be conducting counter-piracy patrols over the coming five months. ESPS Santa Maria has an embarked Seahawk helicopter on board, allowing her to
Rear Admiral Ken Cheong, Commander of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, recently visited the EU NAVFOR’s operation Atalanta flagship, FGS Bayern in Salalah in the Gulf of Aden. Radm Cheong, who works for Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), met the Force Commander EU NAVFOR, Radm Jan Kaack, onboard FGS Baye
Crewmembers aboard the U.S. Navy’s hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) recently participated in an abandon ship drill while in its homeport at Naval Base San Diego. Mercy is preparing for Pacific Partnership 2016, the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparednes
A small team of about 20 Royal Danish Air Force officers and enlisted men fly along the coast of Somalia, verifying shipping activity, distinguishing legitimate maritime traffic from suspected pirate vessels and identifying probable pirate activities off the coastline of Somalia. The crew operates a
During a recent port visit to Dar es Salaam, sailors from Operation Atalanta’s Italian warship, ITS Euro, took the opportunity to visit local children. The crew members arrived at the Kindergarten in Kawe and the Vinvunguti Orphanage with supplies of food, medicine and learning materials. The childr
During a recent port visit to Dar Es Salaam, Operation Atalanta’s Italian warship, ITS Euro, conducted a series of naval exercises with men and women from the Tanzanian Navy. Over the course of three days, the Italian sailors trained alongside their Tanzanian counterparts, practising a range of skil
During a recent port visit to Oman, Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander, Rear Admiral Kaack, invited the Commander of the Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, Rear Admiral Cheong Kwok Chien, on board the EU Naval Force (Somalia) flagship, FGS Bayern. Rear Admiral Cheong was in Salalah visiting CTF 151’s
High Representative of the European Union and Vice President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, accompanied by Pedro Serrano EEAS Deputy Secretary General and General, Michail Kostarakos, Chairman of EU Military Committee (EUMC), visited the Italian Aircraft Carrier Cavour, EUNAVFOR MED
Spanish Navy offshore patrol vessel OPV Atalaya currently deployed to Western Africa, has conducted a series of cooperation exercises with the National Navy of Cameroon between March 28 and April 8. The training activities were divided into two phases: the first one was organized in port in areas re
Spanish Navy’s offshore patrol vessel (OPV) Atalaya (P-74), under command of the Maritime Security and Surveillance Center, has conducted a series of cooperative security operations with the Mauritanian Navy last week, and is now collaborating with the Cape Verdean Coast Guard. While in Mauritania,
Images: EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta warships met with their Chinese counterparts in the Indian Ocean to conduct joint training on February 27. Main focus of the training were air operations with the ships’ embarked helicopters. The Chinese ships, tanker CNS Taihu and frigate CNS Daquing, also conduc
