The French frigate FS Floreal has joined EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR), patrolling the waters off the Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden. She rejoins EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta for a third time, having previously operated within the Task Force in both 2010 and 2011.

FS FLOREAL is a light surveillance frigate based on the French island “La Réunion”. She is 93.5 meters long, and has a displacement of 2950 tonnes when fully loaded. She has a crew of just under 100 and is equipped with a Panther helicopter.

Operation Atalanta is a counter-piracy mission operating in the area of the Gulf of Aden, the Horn of Africa and into the Indian Ocean. It is mandated to:

• protect vessels of the World Food Programme (WFP) delivering food aid to displaced persons in Somalia; the protection of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) shipping;
• the deterrence, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast;
• the protection of vulnerable shipping off the Somali coast on a case by case basis;
• in addition, EU NAVFOR – ATALANTA shall also contribute to the monitoring of fishing activities off the coast of Somalia.