Whilst on a recent visit to Djibouti, Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander, Commodore Luyckx, paid a visit to the German National Support Element (NSE) and Support Element Atalanta (SEA). Both provide crucial logistical support to the counter-piracy operation.
SEA liaises closely with Atalanta’s sea assets and provides enormous support, taking on a variety of tasks which range from arranging visas for embarking and disembarking sailors to locating and providing spare parts to keep the warships running smoothly. NSE provides medical facilities and a decompression tank in case of diving accidents.
The Force Commander was pleased to visit both NSE and SEA and praised the staff’s commitment and hard work in support of Op Atalanta. The warships working to deter and disrupt piracy off the Somali coast could not operate as successfully or effectively without the robust support network.