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Swedish warship HSwMS CARLSKRONA handed over EU NAVFOR Flagship duties to French destroyer FS DE GRASSE on 14 August 2010 and started a three-week maintenance period. She is now back at sea with other EU NAVFOR warships, patrolling the IRTC.

On 14 September, EU NAVFOR Force Commander Rear-Admiral Philippe Coindreau visited another ship of Task Force 465: German tanker FGS RHOEN.

Each year in the Horn of Africa, the number of pirate attacks decreases during the monsoon period, due to rough seas. With improving weather, the number of attacks is expected in the near future to increase and vessels will have to be increasingly vigilant.

EU NAVFOR’s operational capabilities have been reinforced on 13 September with the arrival of FGS KÖLN in the operational area. FGS KÖLN is a frigate that has been in service with the German Navy since 1984. She has a displacement of 3,700 tons and a crew of 227.

On 9 and 11 September, Force Commander Rear-Admiral Philippe Coindreau visited at sea EU NAVFOR Spanish amphibious ship ESP GALICIA and EU NAVFOR French frigate FS FLORÉAL.

HNLMS AMSTERDAM joined EU NAVFOR on the area of operation on 10 September. HNLMS AMSTERDAM is a Fast Combat Support Ship that has been in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy since 1995. She has a displacement of 17,040 tons and a crew of 175.

Thanks to the protection of EU NAVFOR Flagship FS DE GRASSE, both MV MILTZOW, chartered by the World Food Program (WFP), and MV ALFA KIRAWIRA, chartered by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) transited safely from Mombasa to Mogadishu this week.

MV PANEGA was hijacked on 11 May 2010, approximately 100 nautical miles east of Aden (Yemen) in the Gulf of Aden. Today, 9 September, the vessel was released from Garacad from under pirate control.

Early on the morning of 8 September, the Merchant Vessel (MV) OLIB G, flagged Malta, was pirated in the East part of the Gulf of Aden.

EU NAVFOR welcomes the first judgement yesterday in a Kenyan prosecution in connection with the interdiction of a pirate group by an EU NAVFOR warship.

On 4 September, during its port visit in Salalah, a joint group made up of an Italian, Croatian and a Djiboutian officer from the EU NAVFOR Italian ship ITS LIBECCIO, visited Omani and Pakistani vessels in the port of Salalah (Oman).

During its port visit to Mombasa, EU NAVFOR French Flagship DE GRASSE explained once more the importance of Best Management Practices (BMP) in briefings to merchant vessel captains and crew.