In a close cooperation with EU’s counter-piracy operational headquarters, Chinese Navy warship CNS Xiangtan escorted World Food Programme vessel, Evangelia L, to the port of Berbera, Somaliland. Evangelia L had been chartered by the WFP to carry humanitarian aid to the Somali port. After phone calls
Members of the Tanzanian Navy were welcomed on board FGS Bayern for a day of maritime training with Operation Atalanta sailors and marines, on May 16. The training focused on fast-roping drills and damage control skills, such as fire-fighting and flood control as sea. On completion of the training,
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
Irish Navy’s offshore patrol vessel LÉ Róisín has taken part in the first rescue operation in the Mediterranean since it joined the life saving efforts in May 2016. Following a request from the Italian Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre on May 16, the LÉ Róisín successfully located and rescued a t
One Spanish and one Royal Morocco Navy frigate met in the Gulf of Cadiz to conduct the bilateral exercise MAES-16 from May 4 – 12. Spanish Santa Maria-class frigate Canarias and Moroccan Sigma-class frigate Allal Ben Abdellah carried out a series of training activities in the Gulf of Cadiz under the
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
Sailors aboard the U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Stout (DDG 55) departed their Norfolk homeport May 14 for a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations. Stout recently completed a training cycle in preparation for deployment while simultaneously assisting two o
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
German Navy’s tanker support ship, FGS Spessart, joined Operation Atalanta on May 11, as part of Germany’s contribution to the EU’s efforts to deter and disrupt piracy off the coast of Somalia. The ship departed the Wilhelmshaven base and set sail for the Horn of Africa on April 15, 2016. Under the
Spanish offshore patrol vessel ESPS Tornado, currently deployed to Operation Atalanta, recently visited the Seychelles. During the port visit Spanish sailors co-operated with Seychelles forces. The training began with theory lessons on board ESPS Tornado and was followed by practical training on Sai
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
Spanish Navy frigate Numancia and Royal Navy survey ship HMS Enterprise, presently deployed in EUNAVFOR’s operation Sophia in the Mediterranean Sea, rescued 436 people off the coast of Libya. The Spanish frigate was on patrol in the area when a maritime patrol aircraft spotted and informed of a boat
Nigerian Navy personnel have intercepted a marine tanker codenamed MT Marina for suspected illegal bunkering of automotive gas oil (AGO). According to the Nigerian Navy, the vessel was laden with 100 metric tons (MT) of suspected illegal refined AGO at the time of the arrest on April 28, 2016. MT Ma
Spanish Navy’s offshore patrol vessel ESPS Tornado, currently deployed to Operation Atalanta, recently visited Madagascar. Whilst alongside in the port of Antsiranana, members of her crew invited counterparts from the Malagasy Navy on board to participate in training exercises. The training focused
