To help strengthen mutual understanding and trust between the EU Naval Force and local seafarers, as well as obtain first-hand information about possible piracy incidents in the Western Indian Ocean, EU Naval Force ships will make ‘Friendly Approaches’ to local vessels and speak to the crew.

Personnel from the Spanish ship ESPS Relámpago recently met with the crew of a Somali dhow in the Gulf of Aden. It gave the opportunity for friendly interaction with the Somali fishermen on board.  The Spanish crew spoke to the local fishermen about the piracy situation off the coast of Somalia and discussed any concerns they had. They were also able to obtain first-hand information about possible piracy incidents throughout the region.  Conversations like this reaffirm EU NAVFOR’s commitment to upholding maritime security in the area.

Understanding the local maritime security situation remains important for EU NAVFOR in its mission to deter acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea and to allow the free flow of international commerce.