After navigating the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb strait, French frigate FS Courbet has joined EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta. The French frigate replaces the FS Surcouf, who has been operating within the EU counter-piracy operation since last December. On Monday 18 February
On 19 February, HNLMS De Ruyter, has stopped the activities of a group of suspected pirates approximately 120 nautical miles east of Eyl off the coast of Somalia. Nine suspected pirates were apprehended and taken on board of the De Ruyter. The Dutch frigate that is deployed with the European Union N
A Navy chaplain visited guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) on Ash Wednesday to provide religious services and visit crew members. Lt. Peter Ott, a chaplain assigned to amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47), commenced observance of the 40-day season of Lent by offering r
USNS Spearhead Pays Maiden Visit to Port of St. Petersburg Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) first joint high-speed vessel, USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1), made its first port visit to the Port of St. Petersburg Feb. 10. AGHAM Calls for Naval, Ship-Building Self-Reliance In light of the recent Tubbataha i
Belgian frigate BNS Louise-Marie is on her way home after completing three months of counter piracy patrols with the European Union’s counter piracy mission – EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) – Operation Atalanta. BNS Louise-Marie joined EU NAVFOR, which fights piracy off the coast of Somalia, on 23 Novem
The Philippines: AGHAM Calls for Naval, Ship-Building Self-Reliance In light of the recent Tubbataha incident, activist scientist group AGHAM or Advocates of Science and Technology for the People called on the Philippine government to build a national ship-building industry that will strengthen the
Military Sealift Command-chartered HSV Swift (HSV 2) completed a nearly 10-month deployment to the Europe and Africa areas of responsibility Jan. 31. During that time, Swift and her crew of contract mariners and a U.S. Navy detachment conducted 38 port visits to Africa and 15 to Europe, circumnaviga
The crews of the Royal Navy’s four Gulf minehunters filed off their ships and on to the jetty in Bahrain to greet their new commander. More than 150 sailors – from HM Ships Atherstone, Quorn, Shoreham and Ramsey – plus specialist engineers and the Mine Warfare Battle Staff formed up for a ‘clear low
The Spanish Navy ship ‘Méndez Núñez’, deployed from November 22 within Operation “Atalanta” undertaken by the European Union Naval Force to fight against piracy off Somalia, has been working with the Tanzanian Navy and police, providing them with relevant education and training. A delegation of 27 m
The last two weeks of January have been a busy period for ESPS Cantabria (CMDR J.L. Nieto) and her embarked RAN DET. Having successfully navigated the Suez Canal, Cantabria entered the Gulf of Aden (GoA) area of operations. Cantabria conducted Replenishment at Sea (RAS) activities in support of EUNA
Commanding Officer of USS Pasadena Relieved of Duty Rear Adm. Rick Breckenridge, Commander, Submarine Group 2, relieved Cmdr. Luis Molina, commanding officer of USS Pasadena (SSN 752) on Jan. 25 due to loss of confidence in executing his duties as the submarine’s commanding officer. USA: Gerald
The Royal Netherlands Airforce’s newest helicopter, the NH-90, is on its way to Somalia on board HNLMS De Ruyter. It is the first overseas mission in which the maritime on-board helicopter will take part. Although in its current configuration it will not be able to carry out all mission tasks, the N
Following an attack in early January on a merchant vessel 260 miles off the Somali Coast, twelve men suspected of committing an act of piracy, were transferred on January 25 by EU Naval Force warship FS Surcouf to the Mauritian authorities for prosecution. When the attack happened on 5th January, th
On Wednesday 16 January 2013 Rear Admiral Duncan Potts handed over operational command of the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) to Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant. Rear Admiral Potts has commanded EU NAVFOR, the European Union’s counter piracy mission off Somalia, since August 2011. This period has wi
