During a rendezvous with World Food Programme ship MSM Douro, Operation Atalanta's Force Commander, Rear Admiral Jan Kaack, took the opportunity to address the embarked Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment (AVPD). MSM Douro's AVPD are currently a team from Lithuania and the Force Commander wished them a Happy Easter in the middle of the Gulf of Aden.
A core task of Operation Atalanta is the protection of World Food Programme vessels delivering aid to Somalia. This protection can be guaranteed by EU Naval Force providing an escorting warship and for short-term chartered vessels this is often the case. AVPDs are used to protect longer-term chartered vessels, like the MSM Douro, allowing more flexibility for the tasking of warships whilst still ensuring the protection of the WFP ship.
The Force Commander was impressed with the professionalism and the high levels of motivation displayed by the Lithuanian personnel; “You have a significant role in the success of the entire mission."