A highly trained EU NAVFOR maritime protection team from the Montenegrin armed forces has embarked the World Food Programme vessel, MV Esbjerg, for a three-month deployment.

The role of the protection team will be to protect the humanitarian aid cargo as it transits along the coast of Somalia en route to several Somali ports.  Once the much-needed cargo arrives into port, it will be distributed to the Somali people.

EU NAVFOR warships and maritime protection teams have been protecting WFP vessels since December 2008 and since that time over 1,3 million tonnes of food aid has arrived safely in port.

Before MV Esbjerg commenced her transit from Djibouti along the coast of Somalia EU NAVFOR’s Operation Commander, Major General Rob Magowan CBE, met the Montenegrin team, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Zoran Samardzic, to express his personal thanks for their valuable contribution to EU NAVFOR.