EUNAVFOR - Counter Piracy Newsletter September

01.10.2013 EU NAVFOR Public Information Office
 

ESPS Meteoro Enhances Understanding Of Local Sea Area With 23 Friendly Approaches In 3 Days EU Naval Force Warship ESPS Meteoro has recently completed a busy period of Friendly Approaches meeting 23 dhows and skiffs in just 3 days. During these approaches the boat crews received information about the movements of maritime traffic in the area and strengthened relationships with local seafarers. The understanding between the maritime community in the area of operations is key to EU Naval Forces ability to conduct counter-piracy operations.

European Union and Seychelles Jointly Carry Out Search And Rescue Exercise On 26 September, the Seychelles Peoples Defence Force, Coast Guard and Air Force, together with the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta and EUCAP Nestor, carried out a search and rescue exercise in Seychelles waters.

German EU Naval Force Frigate FGS Niedersachsen Fosters Relations With Regional Seafarers To deter and disrupt piracy off the Horn of Africa is one of the main tasks of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta. 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.

German EU Naval Force Frigate FGS Niedersachsen Provides Medical Emergency Assistance To Merchant Vessel Earlier this week the German frigate FGS Niedersachsen, deployed with the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta received an emergency call from the Italian merchant vessel MV Jolly Perla. A crew member had acute heart problems and needed immediate medical assistance.

German Sailors On Board FGS Niedersachsen Have Their Election Voting Papers Parachuted In Whilst On Counter Piracy Patrol Off The Somali Coast On Wednesday 11 September, German frigate FGS Niedersachsen received a special kind of air mail, when a Spanish Maritime Patrol Aircraft parachuted in voting papers for 20 sailors on board for the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Germany.

EU Naval Force Counter Piracy Warship ESPS Meteoro Embarks Unmanned Aerial Vehicle On Tuesday 10 September, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Spanish warship ESPS Meteoro embarked a Skeldar V-200 Reconnaissance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in the port of Djibouti.

Frigate Niedersachsen Conducts Medical Evacuation To Oman On Saturday 7 September, two members of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) warship FGS Niedersachsen were evacuated due to medical reasons to a hospital in Salalah, Oman, The ship had been conducting counter piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia.

EU Naval Force Warship ESPS Meteoro Gives Assistance To A Stricken Dhow On Thursday 5 September, Spanish warship ESPS Meteoro, which is part of the European Union’s counter piracy Naval Force operating off the Horn of Africa, gave assistance to a Yemeni dhow, which had suffered steerage difficulties, with a faulty rudder.

European Union And Somalia Join Hands In Maritime Security Partnership On 4 September 2013, off the coast of Mogadishu, the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Atalanta hosted the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on board the Dutch EU NAVFOR flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt. The President, his Ministers and security commanders met with EU Special Envoy to Somalia, Michele Cervone d’Urso, the EU Naval Force Operation Commander, Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant and Head of Mission of EU Capacity Building Mission (EUCAP) Nestor, Etienne de Poncins. It was discussed how the different EU instruments can together with other international partners support the implementation of the Maritime Resource and Security Strategy.

EU NAVFOR Force Commander Visits German Frigate FGS Niedersachsen On Friday 30 August, Commodore Peter Lenselink and members of his staff visited German frigate FGS Niedersachsen, which is currently part of the EU’s counter piracy task force off the coast of Somalia.

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.