August 2016

Operation Atalanta’s counter-piracy Force Commander, Commodore Luyckx, recently visited People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy Ship Xiangtan in the Gulf of Aden.

EU Naval Force Somalia’s Force Commander, Royal Netherlands Navy Commodore Luyckx, took the opportunity to visit Operation Atalanta’s Italian warship, ITS Euro, recently.

On a recent clear, bright and early morning in the Gulf of Aden, Operation Atalanta’s Dutch Flagship, HNLMS Tromp, was refueled at sea by the American tanker, USNS John Ericsson.

Protecting potentially vulnerable vessels from piracy off the coast of Somalia is one of Operation Atalanta’s key tasks.

Whilst on a recent visit to Djibouti, Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander, Commodore Luyckx, paid a visit to the German National Support Element (NSE) and Support Element Atalanta (SEA). Both provide crucial logistical support to the counter-piracy operation.

On 21 August 2016, Japanese officers from Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 visited Operation Atalanta Flagship, HNLMS Tromp, for a meeting with the Force Commander, Commodore Luyckx.

ESPS Santa Maria is currently deployed with Operation Atalanta in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean as part of Spain’s contribution to the European Union’s efforts to ensure piracy remains suppressed off the coast of Somalia.

Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander, Commodore Rene Luyckx, recently visited the AMISOM marine unit at Mogadishu International Airport.

Whilst on a visit to Djibouti, Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander recently visited the Djiboutian Navy’s Operations Centre.

Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander recently visited the Spanish Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) detachment in Djibouti.

Whilst on a port-visit to Dar Es Salaam recently, Operation Atalanta’s Italian Warship ITS Euro took the opportunity to train with sailors and divers from the Tanzanian Navy.

Protecting vulnerable vessels in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden is one of Operation Atalanta’s key tasks.

Whilst on counter-piracy patrol off the coast of Somalia recently, Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander hosted the Commander of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, Rear Admiral Nam of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy.

Operation Atalanta warships are on patrol around the clock off the coast of Somalia to keep the seas safe from piracy attack.

After five months deployed in the Horn of Afria, FGS Bayern is sailing towards her home port of Wilhelmshaven in Germany.

On Saturday 6 August Rear Admiral Jan Kaack (German Navy) handed over Force Command of the EU’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta to Commodore René Luyckx (Netherlands Navy).

On Saturday 6 August 2016 Operation Atalanta welcomed back Dutch frigate, HNLMS Tromp, to the EU Naval Force off the coast of Somalia.

Eighty eight days after joining the EU Naval Force off the coast of Somalia and having sailed over 13,600 nautical miles, the German tanker support ship, FGS Spessart, is saying goodbye to the EU’s counter-piracy operation ‘Atalanta’ off the coast of Somalia.