February 2009

At 0400GMT yesterday morning the 75,000 tonne MV SALDANHA with its 22 man crew and cargo of coal was hijacked whilst transiting westbound through the transit corridor (IRTC) in the Gulf of Aden.

Representatives from India, China, Japan and Ukraine visited the Operation HQ in Northwood to discuss sharing information between those forces conducting counter piracy activities.

Text of report in English by French news agency AFP A Spanish warship Thursday [ 12 February] foiled an attack by pirates on a merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia, the defence ministry said.

The improved weather conditions in the Gulf of Aden over the last 24 hours have resulted in a marked increase in pirate activity with four attempted hijackings of merchant vessels.

Immediate Voice Comms Reporting Format (VHF, Radio, Mobile or Sat phone)

Op Atalanta protecting merchant shipping The video footage of Op Atalanta ship FS FLOREAL capturing suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden can be found at the link here.

The Op Atalanta warship NORTHUMBERLAND (UK) is this week escorting four different World Food Program (WFP) ships into three different Somali ports. Thus far two ships have arrived safely in Mogadishu and Bosaso with a further two expected in Berbera over this weekend.