On Saturday 6 August 2016 Operation Atalanta welcomed back Dutch frigate, HNLMS Tromp, to the EU Naval Force off the coast of Somalia.
Operation Atalanta warships have been deployed in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean since December 2008 as part of the European Union’s commitment to protect from pirate attack World Food Programme (WFP) vessels carrying humanitarian aid to displaced people in Somalia and merchant ships carrying goods to and from Europe.
This is not the first time that HNLMS Tromp has deployed with the EU Naval Force off the Somali coast, having previously deployed with Operation Atalanta back in 2010. It was during this deployment that Royal Dutch Marines carried out a dramatic rescue on board the German flagged merchant vessel, MS Taipan, after it put out a ‘Mayday’ distress call to say that it had been captured by armed pirates.
In a handover ceremony held this morning in Djibouti, the Dutch Air Defence and Command frigate took over the role of Operation Atalanta’s flagship from German frigate, FGS Bayern, which has been deployed in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden for the past 6 months.
With an Enhanced Boarding Element, consisting of Royal Dutch Marines and an NH90 helicopter, HNLMS Tromp is well placed to continue Operation Atalanta’s success in protecting shipping and denying Somali-based pirates the opportunity to attack seafarers.
As they departed their home port of Den Helder in the Netherlands on 20th July, the sailors and marines on board HNLMS Tromp conducted high-intensity pre-deployment training.
Speaking about the forthcoming deployment, the warship’s commanding officer, Commander KJ Schipper stated “HNLMS Tromp is fully prepared and determined to ensure that piracy remains suppressed off the coast of Somalia and to keep the WFP aid and seafarers safe.”