December 2013

On 26 December 2013 Spanish warship, ESPS Tornado, which is currently conducting counter piracy operations with the EU Naval Force, arrived alongside in the port of Djibouti to begin the process of a helicopter changeover.

During a recent port visit of the EU Naval Force flagship, FS Siroco, to The Seychelles, the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean visited the Palais de Justice and Montagne Posée Prison.

During the EU Naval Force flagship’s port visit to the Seychelles, the EU force commander Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean, paid a visit to the Luxembourg Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) team.

EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta warships FGS Hessen and ESPS Tornado recently met at sea whilst conducting Counter Piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.

On Tuesday 17 December 2013, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean, the Force Commander of the European Union’s counter piracy operation, Atalanta, visited the Ukrainian frigate Hetman Sagaidachny.

During their recent port visit to Dar Es Salaam, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Spanish Offshore Patrol Vessel, ESPS Tornado, conducted training with a team from the Tanzanian Navy.

When Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjéan took over the Force Headquarters of the EU Operation Atalanta on Friday 6 December, one of his first actions was to meet with the Force Commanders of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), Commodore Aage Buur Jensen, and NATO's Operation O

On Friday morning 13 December 2013, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean, who is the EU Force Commander for Operation Atalanta warships conducting counter piracy patrols off the Somali coast, visited Federal German Ship (FGS) Hessen.

Taariikhda manta oo ku began 15th December 2013 ayaabay ciidamada qalabka sida ee badaha EUNAVFOR ayaa ku qaabilay duleedka markabka frenchiga ee lugu magacaabo Siroco guddi ka socota Somaliland taas oo ujeedaduna aheed kulan wada hadal uu ka qayb qaadanayay madaxweyne ku xigeen Cabdiraxmaan Cabdill

On Friday 13 December EU Naval Force frigate, ITS Libeccio came to the assistance of a Yemini fishing dhow that was sailing along the Somali coast with 38 people on board.

On Sunday, 15 December 2013, EU Naval Force French flagship, FS Siroco hosted a meeting with Somaliland representatives, including Vice President Abdirahman Abdallahi Ismail Saylici.  The visitors were welcomed on board by Mr Etienne de Poncins, Head of

Last Monday 9 December, EU Naval Force flagship FS Siroco came to the assistance of seafarers who had been adrift at sea for more than two days after their boat suffered engine failure.

On Wednesday 11 December the Force Commander of EUNAVFOR, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean , visited ITS Libeccio. The Italian warship is currently conducting counter piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean as part of the European Union’s Operation Atalanta.

On Wednesday 11 December, Spanish EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) ship ESPS Tornado completed a three day escort of a World Food Programme (WFP) chartered vessel. The WFP ship was escorted by ESPS Tornado from Mombasa to the port of Kismayo in Somalia.

On Friday 6 December 2013, the French Navy ship FS Siroco joined the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta.

Italian warship ITS Libeccio has reached the half way point in its four month deployment with the European Union Naval Force, operating off Somalia.

After spending almost five months operating with the EU’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta off Somalia, German frigate FGS Niedersachsen is heading home.

On Friday 6 December, Commodore Peter Lenselink (Royal Netherlands Navy) handed over the Force Command of EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta to Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean (French Navy) during a Change of Command ceremony held on board HNLMS Johan de Witt in the Port of Djibouti.

On Tuesday 3 December, Spanish Ocean Patrol Vessel, ESPS Tornado joined the European Union’s counter piracy task force operating off the coast of Somalia. The warship will be part of the EU Naval Force for four months as Spain’s contribution to Operation Atalanta.

On Tuesday 3 December, 350 military men and women serving on board the Dutch flagship HNLMS Johan de Witt received the EU Naval Force medal for their contribution to the European Union’s counter piracy Operation Atalanta.

On Saturday 1 December, an EU Naval Force Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment (AVPD) handover ceremony was held in Djibouti between Lithuanian and Serbian Forces in Djibouti.

Spanish warship ESPS Meteoro has successfully completed its participation in the European Union Naval Force Somalia, Operation Atalanta.