Counter Piracy Newsletter August - EU Naval Force Somalia

31.08.2014 EUNAVFOR

EU Naval Force Bids Farewell to Rear Admiral Bauzá as he Hands Over the Role of Deputy Operation Commander to Brigadier General Swijgman After seven months, Rear Admiral Bartolomé Bauzá (Spanish Navy) today handed over the role of Deputy Operation Commander (DCOM) of the European Union Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta, to Brigadier General Dick Swijgman (Royal Netherlands Navy).  The handover took place at the Operational Headquarters (OHQ) in Northwood, London.

 

EU Naval Force Warship ESPS Navarra Keeps World Food Program Vessel Safe as it Sails Along the Somali Coast As part of her counter-piracy role within the EU Naval Force, Spanish frigate ESPS Navarra has completed an escort at sea of a World Food Program (WFP) vessel along the coast of Somalia.

 

Italy Takes Over Force Command of Operation Atalanta from Germany On Wednesday 6 August 2014 Rear Admiral Jürgen zur Mühlen (German Navy) handed over Force Command of the EU’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta to Rear Admiral Guido Rando (Italian Navy).  Brigadier General Dick Swijgman, who recently assumed the role of Deputy Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force, presided over the handover on board the EU Naval Force flagship, FGS Brandenburg, in the port of Djibouti.

 

EU Naval Force Flagship ITS Andrea Doria Conducts First Friendly Approach On 11 August 2014 the new flagship of EU Naval Force ITS Andrea Doria conducted its first friendly approach in the Gulf of Aden. To help strengthen mutual understanding and trust between the EU Naval Force and local seafarers, as well as obtain first hand information about possible piracy incidents in the area, EU Naval Force ships will sometimes make ‘Friendly Approaches’ to fishing and cargo dhows and speak to the masters and crew.

 

HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën supporting World Food Program On 11 August EU Naval Force ship HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën completed an escort of a World Food Program (WFP) vessel along the coast of Somalia. Escorting WFP vessels is one of the primary tasks of Operation Atalanta.

 

EU NAVFOR Force Commander Visits FGS Berlin During RAS On 11 of August 2014 the Combat Support Ship FGS Berlin received a visit from the Force Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia Rear Admiral Guido Rando. It was the first visit aboard an Operation Atalanta unit other than the flagship since he assumed command on 6 August in Djibouti.

 

EU Naval Force Flagship ITS Doria and Frigate ESPS Navarra Assist Yacht in Distress in Gulf of Aden On Tuesday 12 August, whilst conducting counter-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, the EU Naval Force flagship and Italian Navy destroyer, ITS Andrea Doria, gave assistance to a stricken yacht.

 

EU Force Commander Visits HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën And ESPS Navarra On 15 and 16 August the Force Commander of EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), Rear Admiral Guido Rando, visited HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën and ESPS Navarra. The Dutch frigate is currently conducting the last patrol of her 4 months deployment in the EU’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta, whilst the Spanish Frigate ESPS Navarra will remain in the area of operations until December.

 

HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën Completes Deployment With EU Naval Force And Hands Over To HNLMS Van Speijk HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën is on her way home after a successful three months deployment to the EU Naval Force Operation Atalanta, the counter-piracy mission of the European Union.

 

EU Naval Force Warship ESPS Navarra conducts Friendly Approach in the Indian Ocean During the last few days EU Naval Force Warship ESPS Navarra deployed as part of EU Naval Force, has been conducting counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean. The Spanish frigate’s embarked AB 212 helicopter, during a routine flight, visually detected two vessels sailing northwards to the Yemeni coast.

EU NAVFOR ATALANTA
EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia - Operation Atalanta is part of the EU's comprehensive approach to tackle symptoms and root causes of piracy off the coast of Somalia and the EU Strategic Framework for the Horn of Africa adopted in November 2011.

EU NAVFOR conducts anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia and the Indian Ocean and is responsible for the protection of World Food Programme (WFP) shipping carrying humanitarian aid to the people of Somalia and Horn of Africa as well as the logistic shippings supporting the African Union troops conducting Peace Support Operations in Somalia (AMISOM). Additionally, Operation Atalanta contributes to the monitoring of fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

For more information, please visit our website www.eunavfor.eu.