On 19 and 20 November, during her recent port visit to Dar Es Salam, EU Naval Force warship BNS Leopold I hosted members of the Tanzanian Navy in support of EUCAP Nestor’s initiative to conduct Local Maritime Capability Building (LMCB). On the first day, BNS Leopold I’s crew organised several worksh
During their recent port visit to Djibouti, Dutch warship HNLMS van Speijk hosted a visit from the Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management, or CIVCOM, which is an advisory body within the European Union dealing with crisis management. The delegation consisted, amongst others, of sixteen
The Council has extended the EU’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta by two more years, until 12 December 2016. The Operation’s main focus is the protection of World Food Programme vessels delivering humanitarian aid to Somalia; and the deterrence, repression and disruption of piracy off the Somali c
The future Commander of Combined Maritime Forces Task Force 150 (CTF-150), Commodore Brian Santarpia (CAN N), visited NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) to discuss coordination and interaction with NATO forces in the Indian Ocean. During the visit, Commodore Santarpia met with MARCOM Deputy Comma
Australian Defence Force vessels and aircraft have completed monitoring a Russian Surface Task Group that was operating in the Coral Sea to Australia’s north. The Russian ships did not enter Australian territorial waters and have now departed the Coral Sea. The flotilla included Russian Federation S
EU Naval Force Dutch frigate, HNLMS Van Speijk, has escorted a World Food Programme (WFP) vessel along the Somali coast to keep it safe from a potential pirate attack. The WFP ship was carrying food such as soya, cooking oil and flour from Mombasa in Kenya to the Somali port of Kismayo. The food wil
Earlier today the Chief of the German Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Andreas Krause, visited the EU Naval Force Operational Headquarters in Northwood, London. The visit was an opportunity for Vice Admiral Krause to be given an update on Operation Atalanta, the European Union’s counter-piracy operation of
Naval forces rescued more than 1,500 North African migrants over the weekend in the Strait of Sicily, according to the Italian Navy. The Portuguese Navy’s Offshore patrol vessel Viana do Castelo conducted its first rescue operations as part of the EU Operation Triton, which was launched on November
On Sunday 9 November the Spanish Ambassador to Oman, His Excellency Mr Juan José Urtasun, paid a visit to ESPS Navarra during her port visit to Muscat, Oman. Port visits such as this are an opportunity to resupply the Spanish warship with food and stores, and give the crew the opportunity to take so
On Saturday 15 November the EU Force Commander, Rear Admiral Guido Rando, visited the Serbian maritime protection team that is currently embarked in a World Food Programme (WFP) vessel. The protection team, known as an Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment, or AVPD, is tasked, as part of the EU Na
Spanish Navy’s Meteoro class Offshore patrol vessel Rayo P42 waved goodbye to its Las Palmas Naval Base yesterday morning. The vessel started its journey to the Indian Ocean where it will participate in EU NAVFOR’s Operation Atalanta, joining a fight against piracy off the Horn of Africa. This is Ra
The Chief of the Hellenic Navy, Vice Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, visited NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) to enhance awareness of MARCOM activities and discuss topics of mutual interest with Commander NATO Allied Maritime Command, Vice Admiral Peter Hudson and the MARCOM staff. During the vi
Virtual Technology Changes Design of UK Navy Warships BAE Systems’ Engineers are overhauling their approach to the design and build of Royal Navy warships by using cutting edge virtual reality technology. US Navy’s EA-6B Prowler Retires As the sun sets on USS George H.W. Bush’s (CVN 77) current depl
On Monday 10th November, the EU Naval Force Flagship, ITS Andrea Doria, and the Chinese Flagship CNS Changbaishan met at sea in the Gulf of Aden. The Commander of Chinese Naval Escort Task Group 989, Rear Admiral Zhuang Chuanshu, and the Commanding Officer of CNS Changbaishan, Captain Deng Xianwu, t
