On Friday 2 October 2015 Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander, Rear Admiral Gómez de Cordoba visited Italian Warship, ITS Libeccio of the coast of Somalia.
The Force Commander was welcomed on board ITS Libeccio by the ship’s commanding officer, Commander Daniele Paolo Maria Martinuzzi, and afterwards he was given a briefing on the Italian warship’s capabilities and achievements during the past four months.
The Force Commander then transferred to the World Food Programme (WFP) ship, MV Douro, to meet the Operation Atalanta Lithuanian Maritime Protection team that is currently embarked on board.
During the visit Rear Admiral de Cordoba thanked the Lithuanian team for their important role of protecting MV Douro from potential pirate attack as she transits the Somali coast.
Since Operation Atalanta was launched in 2009, WFP vessels carrying nearly one million tonnes of food and other humanitarian aid destined for the Somali people have been protected by EU Naval Force warships.