September 2017

On 25th and 26th September EU NAVFOR’s Dutch Warship HNLMS Rotterdam conducted a local maritime capacity building (LMCB) exercise with Seychelles military personnel.

During September EU NAVFOR’s Serbian Marines have been embarked on the World Food Programme (WFP) MV Esbjerg, to protect it from pirate attack as it sails along the Somali coast.

On 14 September, EU NAVFOR flagship, ITS Fasan’s visited Antsiranana port in Madagascar. During the visit the EU NAVFOR Force Commander, Rear Admiral Fabio Gregori, met the President of the Republic of Madagascar, His Excellency Hery Martial Rajaonarimampianina Rakotoarimanana.

On 14 September, during her port visit to Antsiranana, the EU Naval Force warship, ITS Fasan, conducted Local Maritime Capacity Building (LMCB) training with personnel from the Malagasy Navy.

On Sunday 17th September 2017, Dutch Navy warship, HNLMS Rotterdam, carried out her first friendly approach with local Somali fishermen since she joined Operation Atalanta.

On 13 September 2017, the Dutch Landing Platform Dock (LPD) HNLMS Rotterdam joined the EU Naval Force operation ATALANTA, aimed to protect vulnerable vessels in the Western Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt acts of piracy.

French warship (FS) Auvergne and Operation Atalanta’s flagship ITS Virginio Fasan conducted counter-piracy exercises to enhance cooperation and to broaden their expertise off the coast of Somalia.

On 7 September 2017, EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander, Rear Admiral Fabio Gregori, visited Mogadishu to meet international partners from  the United Nations Assistance Mission to Somalia (UNSOM), the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and military partners including the US.

For the second time this year, European Naval Force personnel have helped train the Maritime Police Unit in Mogadishu. Organised by the EUCAP Somalia and assisted by UNODC, this vital training enhances local capability in maintaining maritime security.

On September 7th crew members from ESPS Rayo continued the regional cooperation EU NAVFOR has established with the AMISOM Marine unit off the coast of Mogadishu.

On Wednesday 6 September, the German P-3C-Orion Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) left its base in Nordholz, Germany to rejoin the fight against piracy being conducted by EU NAVFOR.

On 28th August, Italian warship, ITS Virginio Fasan, welcomed representatives of the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) during a port visit to Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman.

On Wednesday 30th August, during her port visit to Djibouti, EU Naval Force warship ESPS Rayo conducted Local Maritime Capacity Building (LMCB) training in support of the Djiboutian Coast Guard.