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About Us
The European Union Naval Force (Op Atalanta) Somalia – Operation Atalanta was launched on 8 December 2008 and is conducted in accordance with United Nations Security Council’s resolutions. The Operation has been extended by the European Council until December 2016 and has the following objectives:
- Protects vessels of the World Food Programme (WFP) and other vulnerable shipping.
- Deters and disrupts piracy and armed robbery at sea.
- Monitors fishing activities off the coast of Somalia.
- Supports other EU missions and international organisations working to strengthen maritime security and capacity in the region.
For more information about our mission, our deployed units and chain of command please visit the link below. In this section there is also information about the Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa.
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Deter and
Disrupt Piracy
ABOUT US
The European Union Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR) - Operation ATALANTA was launched on 8th December 2008 in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions to deter, prevent and repress piracy and to protect vulnerable vessels and humanitarian shipments off the coast of Somalia. Since its inception in 2008, the mandate of Operation ATALANTA has constantly been adapted to reflect the situation at sea and support the EU Integrated Approach to Somalia and the Horn of Africa.
The Operational Headquarters of EU NAVFOR Somalia is located in Rota (Spain). Through its organic Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa – MSCHOA, located in Brest (France), the operation maintains a close relationship with the shipping industry, provides advice and assistance to seafarers and monitors vessels operating in the Indian Ocean, thus enabling a military response in concert with UKMTO and international military actors to piracy events.
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KEY FACTS AND FIGURES
currently held by pirates
| Vessels Held1 | Hostages Held2 |
| 0 | 0 |
since 2009
| wfp vessels protected | 1,541 |
| amisom vessels protected | 704 |
| tonnes of food/aid delivered by WFP | 2,222,3503 |
| pirates transfered to competent authorities with a view to their prosecution | total 171 |
remanded 5 |
convicted 145 |
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
| suspicious events | 8 | 59 | 99 | 166 | 74 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| total attacks | 24 | 163 | 174 | 176 | 34 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| of which pirated4 | 14 | 46 | 47 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| disruptions5 | 0 | 14 | 65 | 28 | 16 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
- Plus an unknown number of unreported/unconfirmed dhows and smaller vessels.
- Estimated.
- Reported metric tonnes of food/aid delivered to Somali ports by World Food Programme shipping protected by EU NAVFOR.
- TOTAL ATTACK is the combined number of all attacks mounted by suspect pirates; those repelled/aborted and those leading to ships being in pirate hands and crews taken hostage.
- An action that renders a pirate group incapable of further pirate operation.
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