The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has welcomed the extension of the counter-piracy naval operation EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta through 2018, calling threat of piracy off the Horn of Africa and Western Indian Ocean still "extremely high". The statement follows the EU Council's decision in November to continue to deploy military forces for counter piracy operations … [Read more...]
EU Naval Commander: No Room for Complacency Despite Dip in Somali Piracy
EU Naval Force Operation Commander warned a room full of shipping executives that while Somali piracy in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden is down, there is no room for complacency regarding the on-going threat. Major General Martin Smith MBE gave the warning at a meeting Wednesday with senior shipping industry representatives, part of the London International … [Read more...]
EU Extends Somali Counter-Piracy Operation Through 2016
The European Union’s counter-piracy EU Naval Force Somalia - Operation Atalanta, has been extended by two more years as the threat of Somali piracy remains even as the number and boldness of incidents has decreased dramatically. Operation Atalanta's main focus is the protection of World Food Programme vessels delivering humanitarian aid to Somalia, as well as the deterrence, … [Read more...]
Suspected Pirates Found Not Guilty in Mauritius
Twelve Somali nationals have been acquitted of piracy charges in the Republic of Mauritius in the small island nation's first maritime piracy trial since agreeing with the EU to accept suspected pirates for prosecution. The twelve men, ages 20 to 45 according to the AFP, were accused of attacking the Panamanian-flagged containership 'MSC Jasmine' on January 5, 2013 in the … [Read more...]
UN Orders Ship Searches Off Somalia to Find Weapons, Charcoal
By Sangwon Yoon and Ilya Gridneff Oct. 24 (Bloomberg) -- The United Nations Security Council authorized naval inspections of ships off Somalia’s coast and beyond suspected of carrying illegal weapons and charcoal, a commodity that generates millions of dollars a month in revenue for militants linked to al-Qaeda. Thirteen of the council’s 15 members voted today in favor of … [Read more...]
Somali Pirates Ditch Dhow Under Naval Pressure
On Saturday April 26, the master of a dhow breathed a sigh of relief after 6 armed pirates, who had taken his vessel and crew hostage, fled the scene after sightings of an EU Naval Force Spanish maritime patrol and reconnaissance (MPRA) aircraft. The master confirmed his ordeal to members of the Boarding Team from the EU NAVFOR flagship, FGS Brandenburg, after the German … [Read more...]
Photos: Counter-Piracy Replenishment Hat Trick
Three EU Naval Force warships working counter-piracy in the Gulf of Aden recently met up with the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command ship, USNS Pecos, for a joint replenishment at sea. The warships FS Siroco, FGS Hessen and ESPS Relampago came together to meet the the U.S. Navy ship assigned to Task Force 53 on March 18 in the Gulf of Aden. Not to toot anyone's horn, … [Read more...]