Counter Piracy Newsletter March - EU Naval Force Somalia

Serbian Detachment Completes Protection Of World Food Programme Ship MV Caroline Scan As Part Of EU Naval Force A recent Operation Atalanta medal parade held in Djibouti marked the end of the Serbian Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachments (AVPD) tenure with the EU Naval Force. EU Naval Force French Warship FS Siroco Provides Electronic Navigation Training to Seychelles Coast Guard Trainees During FS Siroco’s port visit to the Seychelles, 20 trainees from the Basic Training course for the Seychelles Coast Guard embarked for electronic navigation equipment training. The training was supported by staff from EUCAP Nestor. EU Naval Force Continues Regular Contacts With Crews Of Fishing And Trading Vessels Off The Horn Of Africa During the last week, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta warships FGS Hessen and ESPS Tornado have carried out several ‘Friendly Approaches’ in the Gulf of Aden. Force Commander Promotes EU Counter Piracy Operation During Conference In The Seychelles. On 6 March 2014, during the last port visit of the EU Naval Force Somalia Operation Atalanta flagship, FS Siroco, the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean was invited to brief Seychellois government and administration representatives and diplomats on the EU’s counter piracy operation. Spanish Vessel ESPS Relámpago Joins EU Naval Force Counter Piracy Operation As of Thursday 13 March, the Spanish Offshore Patrol Vessel, ESPS Relámpago joined the EU Naval Force to carry out counter-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia. ESPS Relámpago has replaced ESPS Tornado as the Spanish contribution to Operation Atalanta. ESPS Tornado is now on her way back home. Spanish Offshore Patrol Vessel ESPS Tornado Departs Operation Atalanta After Completing 105 Days Of Counter Piracy Patrols Off The Coast Of Somalia On 13 March 2014, EU Naval Force warship, ESPS Tornado departed Operation Atalanta’s patrol areas off the Somali coast after completing 105 days and is now heading for her home port of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria. Force Commander Visits Greek Warship HS Psara After Replenishment At Sea With EU Naval Force Flagship FS Siroco On Thursday 13 March the EU Naval Force flagship, FS Siroco, rendezvoused at sea in the Gulf of Aden with Hellenic warship, HS Psara, to conduct a replenishment from sea. Counter Piracy Warships Siroco And Kang Gam Chan Conduct Exercises At Sea In Gulf Of Aden On Saturday 15 March, EU Naval Force French Flagship, FS Siroco, and South Korean destroyer, ROKS Kang Gam Chan met at sea in the Gulf of Aden to conduct a series of maritime exercises. Both warships are currently conducting counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia. Spanish Maritime Patrol Aircraft Contingents Hold Handover Ceremony As New Crew Takes On EU Counter Piracy Role Off Coast Of Somalia One of the key elements of the EU Naval Force’s counter-piracy operation in the waters of the Horn of Africa is the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA). These long-range, capable aircraft conduct aerial patrols over the sea areas where pirates are known to operate and can provide early warning of a potential pirate attack. European Union Teams Provide Fire-fighting Training For Djibouti Coast Guard And Navy On 22nd and 23rd March, ten officers from the Djiboutian Navy and four from the Coast Guard participated in a fire-fighting exercise and weapon handling training that were organised jointly by staff from the EU Naval Force and the EU capacity building mission, EUCAP Nestor. Three EU Naval Force Warships Replenish At Sea With US Task Force 53 Logistics Ship In Gulf of Aden On Tuesday 18 March, three EU Naval Force warships, FS Siroco, FGS Hessen and ESPS Relampago gathered in the Gulf of Aden for a joint replenishment at sea (RAS) with the American logistics ship, USNS Pecos from Task Force 53. Ships from Task Force 53 provide regular replenishment support to the European Union’s counter-piracy warships and others international forces in the area of operations. EU Naval Force And Chinese Navy Warships Work Together In Counter Piracy Exercise At Sea In Gulf Of Aden 28 March 2014 – Ahead of Chinese President Xi’s visit to the European Union in Brussels, a significant naval exercise has taken place in the Gulf of Aden to demonstrate the growing cooperation between the EU and China on issues of international security and defence. European Union Ambassadors Meet Puntland’s President For Talks On Maritime Priorities On Wednesday 26 March 2014, European Union Ambassadors met with the President of Puntland, Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, and his Cabinet on board the French EU Naval Force flagship, FS Siroco, to discuss key issues related to political, security and development cooperation, and to participate in a special session on maritime security. EU Naval Force Bids Fond Farewell to MV Caroline Scan After Completing Four Successful Years as World Food Programme Ship After two and a half years protecting the World Food Programme (WFP) ship, MV Caroline Scan, from pirate attack off the coast of Somalia, the EU Naval Force has bid the vessel and her hard-working crew a fond farewell. In April 2014, MV Caroline Scan will be entering a period of maintenance, so the WFP deliveries to the Somali people will temporarily be conducted using other voyage chartered vessels. Passengers On Board German Cruise Ship AIDA Diva Have a Special Encounter with EU Naval Force Warship FGS Hessen at Sea in the Gulf of Aden It’s not every day that passengers on board a civilian cruise liner would get so close to a warship on operations that they could wave to each other, but this is just what happened last week when the German cruise liner, AIDAdiva, with over 2,000 passengers on board, met German frigate FGS Hessen at sea.