Dear reader,
This month, we have been honoured by the presence of a high-level delegation from the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), led by the prime minister, HE Hamza Abdi Barre, on board the EUNAVFOR ATALANTA Flagship ITS MARTINENGO. This event was held on the occasion of a joint exercise supported by EUNAVFOR ATALANTA for the benefit of the Somali naval forces, in the vicinity of Mogadishu.
This event is a milestone in our relations with the Somali Government. The efforts of ATALANTA, along with EU Delegation in Somalia, and the cooperation of our sister mission EUCAP and EUTM Somalia, have made possible this extraordinary event. Crucial to the operation was the opportunity for ATALANTA to reaffirm our commitment to the security of Somalia waters.
The safe release of the MV ABDULLAH and its crew has been a great relief, as the whole crew was able to get back on their way, safe and sound. From ATALANTA we are very proud of our role, always in permanent contact with the Bangladeshi authorities and the Somali authorities deployed on the coast in front of the ship. Once again, collaboration between all the maritime players was paramount to the resolution of the incident.
This month I have also had the opportunity to meet with military authorities deployed in the area of operations, such as Vice Admiral Emmanuel Slaars, Commander of the French forces deployed in the Indian Ocean Region and AGENOR Operation Commander, as well as AGENOR Force Commander, RADM Colmant. Both meetings were very fruitful and further strengthen our ties of cooperation and common efforts in pursuit of maritime security in the area of operations. Moreover, I had the privilege of taking part of the maritime security conference led by the Combined Maritime Forces in Bahrein. I hold productive discussions with the new CMF Operation Commander, VADM Wikoff, on our mutual support and robust cooperation to achieve our common goal in maritime security in the region.
Finally, we reinforced our commitment to the shipping industry by disseminating a new document on our MSCHOA website and promoting it on our social media. This report includes in a single document all relevant information on the latest piracy incidents and our assessment of the maritime security situation in the Western Indian Ocean. We remain dedicated more than ever, to provide accurate and crucial information to all the community of the West Indian Ocean.
Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano
EUNAVFOR ATALANTA Operation Commander
During the month of April, up to six (6) bulletins on the piracy threat off the coast of Somalia issued on the MSCHOA website were published also on EUNAVFOR ATALANTA's social media for a wider dissemination of information. This bulletin is an updated version that includes infographic data, a list of cases and the assessment of the EUNAVFOR analytic personnel.
On 14 April, Vice Admiral Villanueva Serrano, EUNAVFOR Operation Commander met Vice Admiral Emmanuel Slaars, Commander of the French forces deployed in the Indian Ocean Region and AGENOR Operation Commander, to whom he stressed the outstanding support of the France to Operation ATALANTA and discussed the current mutual support and interactions at sea between the two operations.
ATALANTA Operation Commander also met AGENOR Force commander, Rear Admiral Colmant to exchange views where Vice Admiral Villanueva learned first-hand about their activities and the challenges they face in the complex Area of Operations.
On 16 April, EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA Commander Vice Admiral Villanueva participated in the Maritime Security Conference organized by the Combined Maritime Forces in Bahrain.
He presented the recent activities conducted by ATALANTA and the challenges faced in the current complex geopolitical scenario.
The Combined Maritime Forces and Operation ATALANTA are fully committed to counter piracy and other threats at sea.
During his participation in the Maritime Security Conference in Bahrain, Operation ATALANTA Commander had que opportunity to meet VADM George M. Wikoff, Commander of the Combined Maritime Forces. This was the first face-to-face meeting of the two commanders, showing their full mutual support and readiness to further enhance the excellent relations between the two forces.
Also, VADM Villanueva met Commodore Srinivas Maddula, Indian Navy representative in the Maritime Security Conference. An excellent opportunity to discuss the cooperation and mutual support between maritime security actors in the Indian Ocean, key for freedom of navigation.
On 30 April, Somali Prime Minister, HE Hamza Abdi Barre, accompanied by senior government officials, visited the EUNAVFOR ATALANTA assets off the coast of Mogadishu. In a gesture of honour, the Prime Minister participated in the ceremonial parade aboard, received by EU Ambassador to Somalia, HE. Karin Johansson, and Operation ATALANTA’s Force Commander, Rear Admiral Francesco Saladino.
During the event, the EU Ambassador to Somalia and the Somali Prime Minister emphasized the imperative of collaboration in addressing maritime threats and fostering stability in the region. The discussions between the two sides centered on EU-Somalia cooperation in maritime security, with a view to reaffirm our mutual commitment for the security of the Somali waters.
The extraordinary effort to carry out this important event has been led by the ATALANTA Force Headquarters (FHQ) and coordinated by the EU Delegation to Somalia together with the Operation ATALANTA Headquarters (OHQ). The on-board FHQ has been in charge of executing all the necessary activities. This event was a real opportunity to demonstrate the EU spirit by bringing together the EU Delegation and the two sisters’ missions, EUCAP and EUDEL Somalia.
On 4 April, the Japanese and EUNAVFOR ATALANTA Forces strengthen ties aboard the Spanish frigate CANARIAS. During a visit, the Japanese “Deployment Air force for counter Piracy Enforcement” (DAPE) were able to see first-hand the work of the Spanish frigate during its stopover in the port of Djibouti, one of the main logistical hubs of Operation ATALANTA.
On 10 April, the EUNAVFOR ATALANTA Flagship ITS MARTINENGO and ESPS CANARIAS conducted a joint activity at sea. These exercises are conducted on a regular basis to improve interoperability between vessels and ensure maximum efficiency in any maritime security event. Both assets patrol the Area of Operations 24/7 monitoring navigation flow and actively tracking any piracy event.
On 15 April 2024, Operation ATALANTA confirmed the release of the 23 crew members of the Merchant Vessel ABDULLAH and the ship.
Operation ATALANTA was the first actor to respond to the hijacking of the vessel on 12 March, where one ATALANTA vessel, started shadowing the alleged pirated vessel. Throughout the 32 days of captivity of the sailors, Operation ATALANTA has been actively engaged monitoring the situation.
ATALANTA reaffirms its role as a key maritime security actor, providing timely and effective response to any security alert being a reference in the fight against piracy during the last 15 years in the Western Indian Ocean.
On 17 April, in the vicinity of Mogadishu, there was a collaboration on board ESPS CANARIAS with fisheries inspectors from the port of Mogadishu and personnel from the Somali Police Force Department of the Coast Guard.
The training focused on areas of interest related to their duties such as register and monitoring. It was coordinated by EUCAP Somalia and the Somali Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy.
On 22 April, Operation ATALANTA Force Commander Rear Admiral Saladino and part of the crew from EUNAVFOR ATALANTA flagship ITS MARTINENGO visited the Japanese ship JS SAZANAMI.
JS SAZANAMI is part of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151) from Combined Maritime Forces and is focused on counter-piracy in the area.
CTF 151 is one of five task forces operated by the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) which is currently commanded by the Brazilian Navy.
As part of the activities at sea during the encounter between the EUNAVFOR ATALANTA flagship ITS MARTINENGO and the Japanese ship JS SAZANAMI, both warships conducted a joint activity at sea, performing coordination drills and sharing procedures to ensure mutual understanding and efficiency in any incident.
On 30 April 2024, during the Somali Prime Minister, HE Hamza Abdi Barre, visit to the EUNAVFOR ATALANTA assets off the cost of Mogadishu, it took place an exercise with the Somali Police Force -Department of Coast Guard (SPF-DCG). This capacity building exercise was organised by the EU Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP) and conducted on board EUNAVFOR ATALANTA frigates, the Italian ITS FEDERICO MARTINENGO, flagship of the Operation, and the Spanish ESPS CANARIAS. Following the exercise, the operational capabilities of the frigates were presented to the authorities.
In April, EUNAVFOR ATALANTA celebrated the “Netherlands King’s Day”
During the month of April, one Spanish frigate, one Netherlands logistical warship, and three Italian and two French destroyers took part in different support modalities to EUNAVFOR ATALANTA. In addition, the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA), the Spanish Air Force's VIGMA-D4, keep deployed in Djibouti.
