Rota, July 26, 2023 – Today, the Operation Commander (OPCDR) of EU NAVFOR Atalanta, Vice Admiral Núñez Torrente, received the Combined Task Force (CTF) – 151 Commander, Rear Admiral (ROK-N) Ko Seung-bum. The encounter took place in the Operation Atalanta OHQ facilities located in Rota Naval Base, Spain.
This visit builds on the excellent relations between European Union and the Republic of Korea, and it was a perfect opportunity to present the evolution of ATALANTA from a counterpiracy operation to a maritime security provider in the North-Western Indian Ocean and Red Sea. In addition and thanks to the robust partnership between EUNAVFOR and the Combined Maritime Force (CMF), new possibilities in information sharing between the CTF-151 and the Atalanta OHQ/FHQ were discussed. The gathering concluded with a tour of the OHQ facilities, including the Joint operation Centre (JOC), in which EU NAVFOR watchkeepers monitoring the Area of Operation 24/7.
Operation Atalanta and CTF-151 share common goals to ensure the freedom of navigation in their areas of operations, sharing some areas. These interactions seek to enhance synergies among the assets deployed in the region. Apart from different collaborations at sea, the visit is a continuation of previous combined activities. On March 2023, CTF 151 Commander visited EU NAVFOR Flagship Reina Sofia while mooring at the Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman. Later in June, CTF 151 Commander visited Atalanta’s Support Element (SEA) in Djibouti.
It is important to stress that the Republic of Korea was the first country in Asia to conclude a CSDP Framework Partnership Agreement with the EU (signed on 23rd May 2014, entry into force 1st December 2016), providing staff officers to ATALANTA FHQ at sea (last one joined 44th Rotation on board Destroyer IT “DURAND DE LA PENNE”).
CTF-151 is one of the five task forces that the CMF has, the multinational maritime partnership commanded by a US Vice Admiral, comprised by 38 nations and based in Manama, Bahrain. CTF 151’s core task is to take actions, within its area of operations, to suppress piracy outside territorial waters of Coastal States, in coordination with EU NAVFOR Operation ATALANTA.