Funding
Another tanker attacked by pirates in Arabian Sea
In the second attack on commercial vessels in just two days, pirates attempted to hijack oil tanker MT NAVIG8 Providence in the Arabian Sea on June 1. The incident, confirmed by EU NAVFOR, took place in the Gulf of Oman as the MT NAVIG8 Providence was sailing 100 nautical miles east of Muscat. Accor
Royal Navy frigate nabs £65m worth of drugs in the Indian Ocean
Royal Navy frigate HMS Monmouth intercepted a fishing dhow carrying £65m worth of cannabis and heroin in the Indian Ocean, the Royal Navy announced on Wednesday without specifying when the action took place. The navy further said sailors aboard the Type 23 frigate destroyed 455kg of cannabis and 266
Irish Navy patrol vessel deploys to Mediterranean Sea
Irish Navy’s offshore patrol vessel LÉ Eithne departed the Haulbowline naval base on May 23, starting her Mediterranean Sea deployment. Commanded by Commander Brian FitzGerald, the 72 crew of LÉ Eithne will help fight smuggling and prevent loss of life at sea off the Libyan coast. The operation is d
Italian frigate takes up duties after promotional tour
Italian Navy’s FREMM frigate ITS Carabiniere will be performing counter-piracy duties off the Horn of Africa after completing a promotional tour to Asia Pacific and the Middle East. The Carlo Bergamini-class frigate started her “Italian industry showcase” deployment in December last year and travele
Italian Navy frigate trains with Djiboutian Navy
Sailors from the Italian Navy’s Maestrale-class frigate ITS Espero carried out maritime training with a team from the Djiboutian Navy during their recent port visit in Djibouti. Currently part of the EUNAVFOR’s counter-piracy operation Atalanta, ITS Espero worked with EUCAP Somalia staff during the
Denmark sends maritime patrol aircraft to support Indian Ocean monitoring
Denmark is sending a Bombardier Challenger 604 maritime patrol aircraft to support the monitoring of shipping traffic in the Indian Ocean, the country’s ministry of foreign affairs announced on May 5. It was further said that Denmark would make a Challenger airplane available for the Mediterranean e
French frigate seizes heroin off the Horn of Africa
French frigate FS Surcouf collaborated with a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 Orion maritime patrol aircraft to make her first cocaine interception as part of the Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150). Less than three weeks into its deployment, FS Surcouf made two narcotics seizures, with back to back
US Marines join French Navy’s Jeanne D’Arc task force for drills
U.S. Marine Corps have teamed up with other multinational forces to take part in the French Navy’s Jeanne D’Arc exercises that are set to take place from April 29 to May 18 on land and in the surrounding waters of Guam and Tinian. Approximately 100 Marines from 3rd Marine Division joined forces from
German fleet tender intercepts Libyan weapons in the Med
A German Navy fleet tender with an embarked team of Lithuanian boarding specialists intercepted a Libyan weapon-smuggling vessel on May 1. Tender ‘Rhein’ intercepted the Libyan-flagged vessel ‘El Mukthar’ in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea. ‘Rhein’ is currently part of a EUNAVFOR count
Italian frigate pulls into Dammam, Saudi Arabia
The Italian Navy’s FREMM frigate ITS Carabiniere pulled into Dammam, Saudi Arabia, on May 5, on the return leg of her Indo-Asia-Pacific deployment. Carabiniere is set to depart Dammam on May 6, after hosting a press conference on its deck and engaging with local officials. The ship’s crew previously
DCNS teams with Australia’s DMTC for naval solutions
French shipbuilder DCNS has signed an agreement with Australia’s Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC) to collaborate on naval shipbuilding and repairs. According to DMTC, the agreement will see DMTC and DCNS collaborate on developing technical expertise and building industrial capacity within
ESPS Galicia prevents merchant ship from being pirated
Late on Saturday night during a European Union counter-piracy patrol close to the east coast of Somalia, EU NAVFOR’s Spanish flagship, ESPS Galicia, received a SOS distress call from the master of merchant ship, MT Costina, to say that his vessel was being attacked by a number of armed pirates in a
USNS Kanawha replenished ESPS Galicia
Earlier this month USNS Kanawha replenished ESPS Galicia of EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta at sea (RAS). Having sailed into the counter-piracy sea areas in the Gulf of Aden, the flag ship of Operation Atalanta, ESPS Galicia went alongside USNS Kanawha to replenish fuel and stores in preparation for he
South Korea joins anti-piracy drill in Gulf of Aden
A South Korean Navy ship already patrolling the Horn of Africa as part of an EU-led task force was sent to participate in an international anti-piracy drill that took place in the Gulf of Aden. The Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyer ROKS Choe Yeong joined U.S., Japanese and Royal Navy warships i