EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

On the 4th of July, EU NAVFOR Force Commander, Commodore Alberto Correia met Rear Admiral Gualtiero Mattesi, Commander of the NATO Counter-piracy Taskforce onboard the Italian destroyer ITS Andrea Doria, whilst patrolling the International Recommended Traffic Corridor in the Gulf of Aden.

The meeting gave both commanders the opportunity to share their experiences in counter-piracy operations, and to emphasize the importance of information sharing, as well as to deepen the cooperation amongst counter piracy forces in the area. This is particularly important given the size of the operational area and the need to coordinate to get the best benefit from the assets available.
On completion of the visit the Commodore Alberto Correia underlined that:” Cooperation is the key to success in counter-piracy operations, and today we had the opportunity to reinforce it. “
EUNAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). EUNAVFOR also protects vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, deters and disrupts piracy and monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.