FREMM frigate ITS Federico Martinengo returned to its homeport of La Spezia on December 20, completing its maiden deployment. The seventh Italian Navy FREMM frigate started its first operational deployment in August this year after entering service in April. In the past five months, the frigate oper
Personnel from the US Navy and US Army integrated with Djibouti Port Authority assets for what was described as the first-ever port exercise to include the Djibouti Port Authority, December 19. “The purpose was to synch up coordination between Navy Combat Riverine Squadron 8, Bravo Company, Delta Co
The Indian Navy’s hydrographic survey ship INS Sarvekshak arrived at the Port Louis Harbour in Mauritius on December 11, 2018. The ship will operate in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Mauritius for about two months to carry out joint hydrographic and oceanographic surveys for the production of
The Royal Saudi Naval Force (RNSF) has handed over command of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150), one of three task forces operated by Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). Commodore Darren Garnier of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) officially assumed command of CTF 150 on
Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon has seized £1.6m of narcotics on the infamous ‘smack track’ – the heroin smuggling route between the Makran Coast of Iran and Pakistan and East Africa. Less than two weeks after seizing three tons of cannabis on the so-called ‘hash highway’, the Portsmouth-bas
The European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) celebrated ten years of maritime operations on December 8. Commanded from its military HQ in Northwood, London, the European Union Naval Force was officially launched on December 8, 2008. Codenamed Operation Atalanta, it is a naval force generated by EU Mem
US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) completed a four-month patrol in the US 6th Fleet area of operations, returning to Naval Station Rota, Spain, November 17. Carney departed Rota July 27, 2018, and began its fifth Forward-Deployed Naval Force patrol in Europe and Africa. “From Va
The Royal Moroccan Navy has received a new hydrographic and multi-mission vessel from French shipbuilder PIRIOU. The 72-meter long RMNS Dar Al Beida is based on Kership’s B2M multi-mission ships currently under construction for the French Navy and was delivered to Morocco in a ceremony on October 26
Spanish sailors assigned to EUNAVFOR’s operation Atalanta captured and destroyed a pirate whaler in an operation off the Somali coast on October 28. The pirate vessel was detected following an attack on Hong Kong-flagged Bulk Carrier KSL Sydney. The attack against the KSL Sydney took place on Octobe
Libyan Navy and Coast Guard personnel started a new phase of training, dubbed “Package 2”, with the Italian Navy in La Maddalena, Italy, on October 8. The training is conducted as part of the EU-led Mediterranean Sea migrant-response operation Sophia. A total of 69 personnel will be trained in this
The annual IBSAMAR maritime exercise organized between the navies of Brazil, India and South Africa kicked off at Simons Town, South Africa, on October 1. The two-week exercise changes hosts every year, with the previous edition taking place in India. The exercise is designed to build interoperabili
Southern African Shipyards has awarded subsea and offshore solution specialist Unique Group a contract to deliver dynamic positioning systems and navigational equipment for its hydrographic newbuilds. Through its Marine & Subsea division, Unique Group will be delivering the equipment for multiple –
Italian Navy transport vessel Nave Caprera was used to smuggle cigarettes on the return trip from Libya where the ship was deployed in support of an EU migrant interdiction mission. The ship reportedly returned to the Italian Navy base Brindisi with over 700 kg of cigarettes on board. This was confi
After ceding command over the EU-led counter-piracy operation Atalanta off the Horn of Africa to the Spanish Navy, the Italian Navy has deployed its newest FREMM frigate – ITS Federico Martinengo – to support the mission. The frigate got underway from its homeport in Taranto and joined the operation
