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One of the primary tasks of the EU Naval Force Somalia Operation Atalanta is the protection of World Food Programme (WFP) ships and other vulnerable shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Western Indian Ocean.

During their recent port visit to the Seychelles at the end of January, technicians from the newly embarked flight crew of EU Naval Force warship, FGS Hessen, successfully completed an engine change on one of the warship’s Sea Lynx Mark 88A helicopter.

During the EU Naval Force flagship’s recent two-day port visit to Djibouti, the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean (French Navy) visited the EU Naval Force units based in Djibouti.

The crew of Italian Frigate ITS Libeccio is heading for home after completing a four  month deployment with the EU Naval Force off the coast of Somalia.

Since ESPS Tornado joined the European Union’s Operation Atalanta on 29 November 2013, the Spanish Off-Shore Patrol Vessel has certainly been very busy.  The warship has sailed over 16,000 nautical miles and the crew has carried out a wide range of activities off the Somali Coast.

On Friday, 31 January 2014, the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta warship ITS Libeccio, assisted a Yemeni dhow that was adrift 100 nautical miles from the shore.

The Ukrainian frigate, Hetman Sagaidachniy, is continuing her counter piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden and along the coast of Somalia as part of the EU Naval Force.

Last week, German EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta warship, FGS Hessen spotted three Iranian flagged dhows stopped in the water in close proximity to each other. FGS Hessen called the dhows on the ship’s radio to ask if any assistance was needed.

The 33rd Spanish Air Forces Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) crew joins the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta. The 32nd and 33rd crew rotations performed their hand over in Djibouti on 23 January 2014.

On Tuesday 21 January EU Naval Force warships, FS Siroco, FGS Hessen and ESPS Tornado rendezvoused at sea for a joint replenishment at sea (RAS) with the logistics American ship, USNS Joshua Humphreys from Task Force 53.

EU Naval Force frigate Hetman Sagaidachniy and her crew began their second patrol in the Gulf of Aden after a short port visit and a media brief in Djibouti.

On Saturday 18 January 2014, the French EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta flagship FS Siroco in cooperation with Japanese assets released the crew of a Dhow that was suspected to have been used as pirate mother-ship.