EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

EU NAVFOR’s operational capabilities have been reinforced today with the arrival of the Belgium frigate BNS LOUISE-MARIE in the operational area.

BNS Louise-Marie has a crew of 167 and a displacement of 2,800 tons. She has been in service with the Belgium Navy since 2008. BNS LOUISE-MARIE is equipped with extensive self defence and has an “Alouette III” (SA-316) helicopter.

The ship’s crew is fully prepared and trained to take an active part within EU NAVFOR operation. As a multi purposes warship, BNS LOUISE-MARIE is perfectly equipped for counter-piracy missions and will be an important asset for EU NAVFOR.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid for the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). EU NAVFOR also protects vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, deters and disrupts piracy. EU NAVFOR finally monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.