EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

After ten days chasing and disrupting suspect skiffs in the Gulf of Aden, the French EUNAVFOR Flag ship DE GRASSE headed south to the Somali Basin, to conduct the EU NAVFOR primary task: protection of merchant vessels (MV) chartered by World Food Program (WFP) and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

Under the coordination of the Force Headquarters Afloat, warships FS DE GRASSE and FGS SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, took over the escort duties of three merchant vessels transiting the area.

FGS SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN left Mombasa, escorting both MV Victoria (WFP) and MV Alfa Kirawira (AMISOM). She dropped off MV Kirawira in Mogadishu, before continuing the protection of MV Victoria, North to the Somali coastal port of Bossasso. FS DE GRASSE escorted MV Alfa Kirawira on the return transit from Mogadishu to Mombasa, before heading North again to Mogadishu, protecting MV Petra I (AMISOM).

Since the beginning of the operation in 2008, more than 80 WFP chartered ships have been safely escorted by EU NAVFOR warships. These escorts helped in the delivery of more than 410,000 metric tons of food to Somali, feeding on average more than 1,350,000 Somalis each day. “Naval escorts continue to be necessary for ships carrying WFP food into Somalia, in order to protect against the threat of piracy.” (Source: www.wfp.org)

This week, MV Victoria, who was escorted by EU NAVFOR warships, delivered 4,300 tons of maize to Somali.

EU NAVFOR has also escorted nearly 60 AMISOM logistic vessels running into Mogadishu, to support the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.