After taking part in the advanced multinational mine countermeasures (MCM) exercise Spanish Minex-16, minehunter Duero (M-35) integrated into the European Maritime Force (EUROMARFOR) to take part in the Italian Minex-16 and the maritime security exercise MCE-16 in Tunisian waters. The Spanish M-35,
German Navy corvette ‘Erfurt’ returned to her homeport in Warnemünde, Germany on June 11 after a 17-month deployment. Having a ship spend 17 months deployed without returning home was important for the German Navy as it was able to test the ‘intensive use’ principle for the corvettes where four crew
German Navy’s combat support ship Frankfurt am Main has rescued over 500 migrants from the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast. Rescued migrants are now being brought to the Italian port city Messina, Sicily. The ship first rescued 293 people in three separate operations 70 kilometers off the Lib
Spanish frigate ESPS Santa Maria, currently deployed to Operation Atalanta, recently participated in an exercise with Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) ships JS Yuudachi and JS Yuugiri in the Gulf of Aden. The three warships sailed together in close formation and their Seahawk helicopters to
Royal Australian Navy’s Adelaide-class guided-missile frigate HMAS Darwin and the French Floréal-class frigate Nivôse recently conducted a personnel exchange to discuss strategies for working together in the region off the coast of Africa. Six personnel from Darwin including executive officer, Lieut
French shipbuilder DCNS delivered ‘Gamal Abdel Nasser’, the first of two Mistral-class helicopter carriers, to the Egyptian Navy on June 2. The LHD (Landing Helo Dock) ships were acquired by the Arab Republic of Egypt on October 10, 2015. Built by STX France in Saint-Nazaire the two Mistral-class ve
Royal Australian Navy’s Adelaide-class guided-missile frigate HMAS Darwin has seized almost one tonne of heroin in three separate busts off the coast of Africa. The frigate made the interceptions, worth up to AU$800 million in late May while deployed to the U.S. Navy led Combined Maritime Forces. Wi
Ships from the People’s Liberation Army Navy 22nd Escort Task Group came alongside in Simon’s Town, South Africa for a formal visit from May 16-20, 2016. The visiting group was constituted by Luhu-class destroyer Qingdao, Jiangkai II-class frigate, Daqing and the Taihu replenishment ship, Taihu. The
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,
Ships assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group Two task unit 02 (SNMG2 TU.02) recently concluded a busy port visit in Casablanca, Morocco with a passing exercise and boarding exercise off the coast of Morocco. SNMG2 TU.02 led by Canadian Navy Commander Trevor MacLean included HMCS Fredericton (FFH 3
The international maritime exercise Phoenix Express 2016 was kicked off May 17, in the Mediterranean. Navies from Europe, North Africa, and the United States gathered to begin the 10th iteration of the exercise. Phoenix Express is sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and facilitated by U.S. Na
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
