August 2011

In the early hours of 26 August, M/V POLAR was released from pirate control after 300 days in captivity and has recently safely reached the port of Salalah, Oman.

On August 29 the Spanish warship SPS INFANTA CRISTINA joined Operation ATALANTA off the Horn of Africa having previously deployed to this operation in the autumn of 2010.

On August 24th, Ambassador Nadjib Riphat Kesoema,  Deputy for Foreign Policy Coordination in the Indonesian Ministry for Politics, Law and Security Affairs, accompanied by Admiral Tri Yuswoyo, Head of the Centre for Law and Maritime Security Cooperation, visited the EU NAVFOR Operation Headq

In the early hours of 20 August, the MV FAIRCHEM BOGEY was pirated off the Port of Salalah in Oman and has been taken towards the Somali coast.

Baroness Ashton, High Representative, accompanied by General Håkan Syrén, Chairman of the EU Military Committee, visited the EU NAVFOR Operational HQ in Northwood on 17 Aug 11 to receive an update on the current operations.

Two days after taking over as Force Commander of the EU NAVFOR, Task Force 465, Rear Admiral Jugel, German Navy, met with Rear Admiral Mattesi, Italian Navy, Commander Task Force 508 (Standing NATO Maritime Group 1), on board of the ITS Andrea Doria.

On 14 August 2011, following payment of a ransom, the owner of M/V SININ has confirmed the release of the vessel after 182 days in captivity. The ship was pirated on February 12th 2011 approximately 350 nautical miles East of Masirah (Oman) in the North Arabian Sea.

On August 13th the handover of Task Force 465 was held on board of VASCO DA GAMA in the port of Djibouti. Commodore Alberto Correira handed over the responsibility of Force Commander for the European Union Naval Force Somalia (TF 465) to Rear Admiral Thomas Jugel, German Navy.

On 9th of August the French frigate F711 FS SURCOUF joined the EU NAVFOR Task Force. She is commanded by Captain Marc-Antoine de Saint Germain, and after intense training her crew is fully prepared to undertake their duties as a Task Force 465 unit.

On August the 5th and after 88 days, the Greek frigate HS NIKIFOROS FOKAS conducted her last day of operations as part of the EU NAVFOR Task Force.

 On the 5th of August, the German frigate FGS NIEDERSACHSEN ended her participation in Operation ATALANTA after almost five month as a part of the EU NAVFOR Task Force.

Commanded by Commander Andreas von Kielmansegg, FGS Bayern and her crew have joined the EU NAVFOR taskforce in the Indian Ocean for a five month deployment to protect World Food Programme (WFP) and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) shipping from pirate attack.

On 1 August 2011, Major General Buster Howes OBE handed over the responsibility of Operation Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia, Op ATALANTA to Rear Admiral Duncan Potts.