Rear Admiral Hudson and former Force Commanders cutting the anniversary cake

10 December 2009 marks the first anniversary of EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation Atalanta, the successful EU Naval Force operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Somali Basin against piracy. This anniversary represents a period of concerted achievement by the EU Naval Force in its fight against piracy. Hosted by Rear Admiral Peter Hudson CBE and co chaired by Mr Didier Lenoir (CPMD Brussels) and Mr Chris Trelawny (Head of Maritime Security Section IMO) it was a good opportunity to reflect on a successful first year of the operation.

The mission of Operation Atalanta has been 3 fold. Firstly, the mission provides close escort protection by EU Naval Force warships to World Food Programme shipments of food from Mombasa into Somalia. To date, EU Naval Force has provided protection to the shipment of over 300,000 tonnes of food, vital to a nation often hovering on the brink of starvation and none have been hijacked. Secondly, the mission is to deter and disrupt piracy and thirdly to protect vulnerable shipping.

The establishment of the International Recognised Transit Corridor in the Gulf of Aden has been a great achievement in the management and provision of protection to commercial shipping transiting these dangerous waters. Effective communication with the commercial shipping community has been established through the establishment of Maritime Security Centre, Horn of Africa (MSCHOA), a website system that allows EU Naval Force to provide Best Management Practice anti piracy advice to commercial shipping and information in the form of warnings and alerts of pirate threats. The establishment of a secure internet based communications system called Mercury also provides connectivity between EU NAVFOR, NATO and CMF as well as an impressive array of international states such as China, India, Japan and Russia.

Orchestrated by the EU and EU Naval Force, there have been many positive developments amongst, and between, regional nations directly affected by piracy. Positive steps and national recognition of responsibility to assist is evidenced through International agreements that allow regional prosecution of pirates from Kenya and Seychelles and other states are also showing interest in joining them. Sharing of information through the Shared Awareness and Deconfliction Conferences (SHADE), has been extremely successful and this cooperation is bringing together national navies not normally associated with the EU, NATO and CMF. This recognises that this operation is being taken seriously across all nations and the international community is responding positively to the challenge.

This has been a period of success for EU Naval Force and Admiral Hudson, the Operational Commander of EU NAVFOR stated that “while piracy cannot be defeated at sea alone, much is being done in Europe to bring stability to Somalia. We have been very successful in capturing pirates and pirate activity has been severely disrupted”. Also Mr Didier Lenoir CMPD from Brussels, summed up Op Atlanta during his talk to representatives at the Anniversary Day briefings when he said “Op Atlanta is not merely the ships that are provided, Op Atlanta is the core of a very successful mission.”

Picture Gallery

Captain (N) Garat and the crews were greeted by a large number of relatives assembled at the jetty in Rota Naval Base. They were officially welcomed by the Chief of the Spanish Navy, Admiral Juan C Muñoz-Delgado.

Among those assembled to welcome Captain (N) Garat and the two ships was also EU NAVFOR Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Thorsten Kaehler who stated at the occasion,

“We welcome NAMANCIA and her crew back to Spain. On behalf of EU NAVFOR I would like to take the opportunity to thank Captain (N) Juan Garat Caramé and his crew for a well done job.”

NUMANCIA arrived in Rota – Chief of Sanish Navy, Admiral Juan Carlos Munoz-Diaz del Rio, muster the crew – Deputy Force Commander Rear Admiral Thorsten Kaehler thanks Captain (N) Juan Garat Carame.

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Further Information

• European Security and Defence Policy youtube Channel
• Press Release: SPAIN hands over the anti-piracy baton to the Netherlands – EU Naval Force Headquarters (FHQ) Command Changes hands

Commodore Bindt (right) thanked Captain Caramé - NUMANCIA and EVERTSEN (front)

At a ceremony in the Red Sea onboard the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship NUMANCIA Force Commander Captain (N) Juan Garat Caramé, handed over Command of the FHQ to Commodore Pieter Bindt of the Netherlands. Commodore Bindt will lead the multinational FHQ from the EU NAVFOR Netherlands warship HNLMS EVERTSEN for the next four months.

The EU NAVFOR warships NUMANCIA and EVERTSEN met north of the narrow straight Bab al Mandeb, in the southern Red Sea. The hand over took place onboard NUMANCIA and the Commanders exchanged information relating to Operation Atalanta and the challenges ahead. EVERTSEN now heads for the Gulf of Aden as the new flagship of the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Operation Atalanta, the first naval European Security Defence Policy (ESDP) mission for the European Union. NUMANCIA will now proceed to Spain after nearly five months at sea.

Captain Careme stated ”I would like to take the opportunity to thank the crew of NUMANCIA and all other ships under my command including France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden and all multinational staff from other participating nations. It has been a privilege to serve with them. I wish Commodore Bindt and the Netherlands all the best during their mission”.

The new EU NAVFOR Force Commander, Commodore Bindt thanked Captain Caramé and stated. ”EVERTSEN will continue to build on the successful work of Captain Caramé and the units under his Command, in support of the objectives of EU NAVFOR operation Atalanta”.

The primary objectives handed over to the new Commander of the FHQ are: the protection of vessels of the World Food Programme (WFP) delivering food aid to displaced persons in Somalia, protecting vulnerable vessels sailing through the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast and deterring, preventing and repressing acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast.

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Deployment of HNLMS EVERTSEN

On Sunday 2 Aug 09, the EU NAVFOR  Dutch ship HNLMS EVERTSEN under the Command of Commander Cees Vooijs sailed from Den Helder to join the EU Naval Force operating off the Somali coast in its Anti Piracy mission. Onboard the ship is Commodore Peter Bindt who will take over the role of Force Commander from the EU NAVFOR Spanish ship NUMANCIA in the middle of August in the Gulf of Aden.

Admiral Peter Hudson, the Operational Commander of EU NAVFOR based in the Headquarters in Northwood was in Den Helder to say farewell to the latest member of his force to join the Anti Piracy mission. Admiral Hudson discussed the forthcoming mission with both Commodore Bindt and Commander Voojis and said how important it was for European Member States to contribute fully to this hugely important international task which the EU is acknowledged as leading.

Admiral Hudson, in talking to the members of the Press stated that “Piracy was continuing and would continue until a political solution was found in Somalia”. He was pleased that the EU force is leading the way in this international task and that the actions of EU NAVFOR ships was having a direct effect on the reducing success rates of pirates’ attacks. “before the EU NAVFOR ships were engaged, the pirates were successful in hijacking a vessel in  about one in three attacks”.

Since EU NAVFOR has been involved we have reduced that success rate to about one in eight or nine”. Admiral Hudson also met the Director of Operations for the Dutch Chief Defence Staff General Oosterndorp who was pleased that the Dutch were about to play such a prominent role in an extremely important operation.

HNLMS EVERTSEN will proceed to the Gulf of Aden and relieve the present Force Commander Captain Garat Carame onboard the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship NUMANCIA who has been controlling operations in the area for the last four months. The ships will meet in the Gulf of Aden in the middle of August and formally hand over command of the EU NAVFOR.

NUMANCIA’s helicopter located a fleet of EU fishing vessels and established visual and radio communications. The frigate joined the vessels reassuring them against pirates with her presence and offered support. Afterwards, Captain EU NAVFOR’s Force Commander Juan Garat visited the Spanish tuna fishing vessel CAMPOLIBRE ALAI and met the crew. This was a good opportunity for the fishing vessels to learn more about Operation Atalanta, and the task that EU has undertaken in the fight against piracy in these waters.

July, 19th., three separate Task Forces with different mandates have proven that the international community stands shoulder to shoulder in combating the scourge of Piracy. On 19 July COMEUNAVFOR, Captain Juan Garat (ESPN), had a meeting on board his flagship, EU NAVFOR SPS NUMANCIA in the Gulf of Aden with his counterparts, Commander of Standing NATO Maritime Group SNMG2, Commodore S J Chick (RN), and Commander of Combined Task Force 151, RAdm. Caner Bener (TUN).

The Commanders of the three Tasks Forces operating in the Horn of Africa and off the coast of Somalia reaffirmed their views that they were working closely together to fight Piracy and allow international merchant shipping safe passage to transport their cargos all over the world without hindrance or danger from seaborne criminals.

During the meeting, the Force Commanders and their staffs provided briefings on areas of operation to improve the coordination and deconfliction when separate units operate in the same area. The meeting demonstrates that these Forces have an excellent working relationship where unprecedented coordination greatly improves their ability to deter or catch Pirates and bring them to justice. Captain Garat stated that “the close cooperation between all units in the Gulf of Aden has been the key to fighting piracy in the region”.