HMSwS Carlskrona on her way

At 11.00 on the 13 of March, the next Flagship of EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation Atalanta, the Swedish Warship HMS CARLSKRONA, departed from Karlskrona in the south of Sweden.

It was a sunny morning with a blue sky but some ice remained on the water. Soon the conditions will be very different with temperatures around +30 degrees. On board CARLSKRONA the next Force Commander, Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Jan Törnqvist, will be embarked and take command of the FHQ EU NAVFOR  on 14th April.
 
Before the ship sailed the OHQ representative, Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Bartolomé Bauza, took part in the traditional prayers in the Admiralty Church in Karlskrona for the ship’s crew. Thereafter, a short press conference was held on board the ship. Rear Admiral Bauza, in talking to the members of the press, expressed the gratitude of the European Union for Sweden’s contribution to EU NAVFOR operation Atalanta. He stated that “The Force Commander, the ship and its crewmembers are well prepared to fulfil their mission off the coast of Somalia.” Rear Admiral Bauza also said that EU NAVFOR is grateful for the Swedish Coastguard, the Maritime Patrol Aircraft, deployed since 8 March and already contributing greatly to the disruption of pirate attack groups.
 
On departure, HMS CARLSKRONA was escorted by the Corvette HMS STOCKHOLM that participated in Sweden’s previous contribution to EU NAVFOR last year.
 
HMS CARLSCRONA will proceed to the Gulf of Aden, where RAdm (LH) Thörnqvist is to relieve the present Force Commander Rear Admiral Giovanni Gumiero onboard the EU NAVFOR Italian warship ITS ETNA 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 April and formally hand over command of the EU NAVFOR Task Force.
 
Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP) and vessels of AMISOM, and to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

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New Force Headquarter during Joint Mission Planning at OHQ

The designated Swedish Force Commander and his multinational staff have now completed the Joint Mission Preparation (JMP) at EU NAVFOR Operational Headquarters in Northwood in readiness for taking over from the Italian FHQ in April.

“This week has been excellent and we have got invaluable inputs from our friends at the Operational Headquarters”, says designated Force Commander Rear Admiral (LH) Jan Thornqvist.

“I also would like to mention the video-conference with the present Force Commander Rear Admiral Gumiero, who now is aboard Italian ship ETNA in the Indian Ocean.  That was also a very fruitful part in the programme”, Admiral Thornqvist adds.

In total 26 officers from Sweden Belgium, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Norway, and Spain  gathered in Northwood for a week of preparation. Besides having operational briefings the future FHQ officers had the opportunity to work together with their “opposite numbers” in the Operational staff.

During the visit to Northwood Admiral Thornqvist was invited to NATO Maritime Component Command where he met the Deputy Commander Vice Admiral Hans-Jochen Witthauer, his chief of staff Rear Admiral Hank Ort and the designated Force Commander for NATO Task Force 508, Commodore Steve Chick. Since Task Force 508 also operates off the coast of  Somalia there will be regular contact between Commodore Chick and Admiral Thornqvist, who said this meeting reaffirmed the close cooperation between EU NAVFOR and NATO.

Sweden contribution to EU NAVFOR will be an Ocean patrol vessel (OPV), HMS Carlskrona, which will also host the Force Headquarters. Transfer of authority, from the now Italian-led FHQ to Swedish Rear Adm (LH) Thornqvist and his staff, is scheduled for 14 April.

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RAdm Gumiero and Senior Captain Qiu Yanpeng

On the 16th of January 2010, taking advantage of the vicinity of the two Flagships in the Gulf Of Aden, CTF 465, RAdm Gumiero, and CTF 525 (Chinese People Liberation Army Navy Task Force), Senior Captain Qiu Yanpeng took the opportunity to  arrange a meeting.

The meeting was conducted in a friendly and pleasant atmosphere on board the Chinese Warship MA’ANSHAN. Senior Captain Qui YANPENG, the Chief of the Chinese Mission, received RAdm Gumiero and a delegation from FHQ on the flight deck. The meeting was aimed at continuing the coordination in the IRTC, seeking more interoperability and enhancing the already good relations between the two Task Forces. It is not the first time that the Commander of the Chinese Task Force has met COMEUNAVFOR, as well as other CTFs operating in this Region, thus demonstrating the strong links between all the forces in the area.

The Fourth Chinese Escort Task Group consists of three frigates, MA’ANSHAN, WENZHOU, CHAOHU, and one General Supply Ship, QIANDAOHU. TF 525 main tasks are to maintain the security of GOA, safeguard Chinese vessels and personnel transiting GOA and waters off Somalia, offer protection to vessels carrying humanitarian materials for international organizations like WFP and ensure safety of vessels from other countries and regions following our convoy.

EUNAVFOR SOMALIA Operation ATALANTA main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP), to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy.

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Italian ship ETNA refuelling Korean warship YI SUNSHIN at Sea

On the occasion of the Refuelling At Sea (RAS) between the EUNAVFOR Flagship ITS ETNA and the Korean warship ROKS CHUNGMUGONG YI SUNSHIN, in the Gulf of Aden, Rear Admiral Giovanni Gumiero took advantage of the proximity of the two ships to visit Captain Myung Sung Kim, Commander of CheonHae Escort Force and Commanding Officer of the Korean Warship.

Republic of KOREA is contributing to the fight against piracy with a Destroyer patrolling in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) in the Gulf of Aden serving under the Command of CTF 151 (US-led anti piracy coalition Task Force) and, occasionally, escorting Korean Flag Merchant Vessels.

The visit paid by CTF 465, RAdm Gumiero,  enhanced the already good relationships with the Korean Forces in the Region and further areas of cooperation were explored.

RAdm Gumiero stated that “this first refuelling of a South Korean ship by EU NAVFOR went extremely well and helps to enhance our excellent relationships with coalition forces in the area”

EU NAVFOR SOMALIA Operation ATALANTA main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP), to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy.

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Djiboutian Minister of Defence, Mr Ahmed Kefleh Ougoureh

After almost three weeks patrolling in the Gulf of Aden, EU NAVFOR Flagship ITS ETNA called in to DJIBOUTI on the 7th of January 2010, for two days.

This short visit was supported by the EU and French Ambassadors in Djibouti and the Task Force Commander, Rear Admiral Giovanni Gumiero took this opportunity to meet a large number of local authorities. These included the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Equipment and Transport, Defence, Director of Internal Security and the United Nation High Commissioner Representative for Refugees in Djibouti.

The Task Force Commander acknowledged and thanked Djiboutian support of the operation for the planned deployment of its Coast Guard as well as provision of base areas for the EU NAVFOR Logistic Support Areas and air Maritime Patrol Area base. Djibouti has offered EU NAVFOR permission to transfer suspected pirates through its territory from EU NAVFOR Units to Kenya or third State for subsequent prosecution. A Djiboutian Naval Officer will be attached to the Task Force as an interpreter during operations.

The Task Force Commander confirmed the Operation ATALANTA tasks of protect of all vulnerable shipping transiting the area. He specified that the ATALANTA Mission is only one part of the European Union comprehensive approach, including political, humanitarian and security aspects, to a lasting achievement to peace and stability.
EU NAVFOR SOMALIA Operation ATALANTA main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP), to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy.

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