On Sunday November 22nd the Force Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR), Commodore Pieter Bindt, met with his Chinese counterpart, Commander of Task Force 529 (CTF 529), Rear Admiral Wang Zhiguo on board the EU NAVFOR Netherlands flagship HNLMS Evertsen in the Golf of Aden.

The meeting was held to discuss developments in counter piracy operations and further cooperation between EU NAVFOR and China in deterring, disrupting and suppressing piracy off Somalia.

The commanders discussed the developments in pirate behavior and how the attacks are moving deeper into the Indian Ocean. China wishes to increase the co-operation with the other Task Forces in the area, including a rotational role in the coordination of counter piracy operations.

Discussions also centred on the Shared Awareness and Deconfliction (SHADE) meeting, where navies and organizations share information and deconflict counter piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia. This meeting is currently co-chaired by Combined Maritime Force (CMF) and the EU. At a recent meeting between EU NAVFOR delegates and members of the Chinese PLA in Beijing, it was agreed that China would also be considered as a co Chairman of the SHADE. A final decision will be taken at a future SHADE meeting.

Commodore Bindt explained the current coordination of the counter piracy efforts between EU NAVFOR, CMF and NATO to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of their combined counter piracy forces.

Established in December 2008, EU NAVFOR is an European Union Task Force established to protect vessels of the ‘World Food Program (WFP)’ delivering food aid to displaced persons in Somalia, to protect vulnerable shipping through the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast and to prevent, deter and repress acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast, including arrest.