June 2014

Over a period of three days FGS Brandenburg has escorted a World Food Programme (WFP) voyage chartered vessel from Djibouti to Bosaso, which is the capital of Puntland.

On Monday 23 June EU Naval Force warship HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën hosted members of the Seychelles Coastguard. The visit was in support of EUCAP Nestor’s initiative to promote regional maritime capability building.

On Monday 16 June, the Force Commander of EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Jürgen zur Mühlen, met the officers and ship’s company of HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën at sea for the first time since the Dutch frigate joined the EU Naval Force.

On Sunday 22 June, the newly-appointed Force Commander of the NATO counter-piracy Task Force, Commodore Aage Buur Jensen, paid an inaugural visit to the EU Force Commander, Rear Admiral Jürgen zur Mühlen.  Both met at sea on board of EU Naval Force flagship FGS Brande

The Operation Commander of EU Naval Force Somalia Operation Atalanta, Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant and his Deputy, Rear Admiral Bartolomé Bauzá today welcomed the Chairman, Director General and 35 Military Representatives of the European Union Military Committee to the Op

Lieutenant Commander Zeljko Pekovic has become the second naval officer from Montenegro to serve at the EU Naval Force Operational Headquarters in Northwood, UK. Lieutenant Commander Pekovic will be stationed in the Headquarters until June 2015.

On Wednesday 18 June, the Luxembourg’s Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance (MPRA) Detachment participated in the Seychelles National Day Ceremony.  Two Merlin aircraft conducted a fly-past over the National Sport Stadium in front of President James Michel and some 5,000 spectators.

After two months of contributing to the European Union’s fight against Somali piracy in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden, French warship FS Floréal is sailing towards her home port on La Réunion, which is a French territory in the Indian Ocean.

Earlier today the Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant, welcomed the Defence Advisor to the People's Republic of China Delegation to the European Union, Major General Luo Wei and his Deputy, Senior Colonel Qiu Yi, to the Operational Headquarters in Northwood.

Recently the European Union Naval Force flagship “Brandenburg” held a port visit to the Seychelles. During this period the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Jürgen zur Mühlen, welcomed the Deputy Commander, Rear Admiral Bartolomé Bauzá, for a mid-term-review discussion.

During a recent port visit of the EU Naval Force Flagship FGS Brandenburg to the Seychelles, the Force Commander, Rear AdmiralJürgen zur Mühlen, took the opportunity to meet several ministers and military representatives of the Republic of Seychelles, as well as the EU delegation.

During a visit to Djibouti this week, the Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Tarrant, visited German and Spanish Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) crews based there as well as the team from Support Element Atalanta (SEA).

On Wednesday 4 June, a flight operator in the Djiboutian based German Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) P-3C Orion crew reached an impressive 3,000 flight hours’ milestone.

Major General Tim Gall, the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, today visited the Operational Headquarters of EU Naval Force at Northwood Base, North London. He was met by the Deputy Operational Commander of Operation Atalanta, Rear Admiral Bartolomé Bauzá.

During her recent port visit to the Seychelles, the EU Naval Force flagship, FGS Brandenburg conducted an oil spill exercise with units of the Seychelles Coast Guard, Air Force, Fire and Rescue Services, Port authorities and Maritime Safety Administration.

At the end of May the EU Naval Force flagship, FGS Brandenburg, made a port visit to the island of Mayotte. Uniquely, Mayotte is the only part of the European Union located inside Operation ATALANTA’s area of operations.

On Sunday 25 May 2014, French frigate FS Floréal, which is currently deployed with the EU Naval Force, provided towing assistance to a Yemeni dhow in the Gulf of Aden after it was seen drifting without power at sea.