- The new Force rotation is commanded by Portuguese Commodore João Silva, and the Spanish ship VICTORIA is the new flagship of the Operation.
- Spain was in charge of the Force Command in the previous rotation on board Spanish ship NAVARRA as flagship of the Operation.
Portuguese Commodore João Silva assumed command of the 51st rotation as Force Commander of the European Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation ATALANTA. He takes command of Task Force 465 from Spanish Rear Admiral Francisco Javier Vázquez Sanz who was in command since 12 June 2025. The ceremony was chaired by the EUNAVFOR ATALANTA Operation Commander Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano and took place on the Spanish ship NAVARRA in the port of Djibouti.
The 50th rotation completed a successful deployment, conducting several patrols as part of the continuous effort to deter piracy. They also conducted different trainings with multiple international partners as the Kenyan Navy, the Seychelles Armed Forces, Japanese Navy, and the Madagascar Navy, and carried out various activities in support of other EU missions and operations. Vice Admiral Villanueva conveyed his highest appreciation for his commitment to the outgoing Force Commander, and the crew of ESPS NAVARRA.
“I am acutely aware of the challenges that lie ahead. The maritime domain remains fraught with complexities, and while we have made significant progress, vigilance must be maintained to generate operational advantage where and when required” said Commodore João Silva after taking command as Force Commander. He will lead the 51st rotation of Operation ATALANTA forces with the Spanish warship, ESPS VICTORIA as Operation ATALANTA’s flagship.
The ceremony was attended by several international and local civilian and military authorities including European Union Member States Ambassadors, the EU Ambassador to Djibouti, and commanders of different forces in the area.
The Force Headquarters, under the command of the Operation Headquarters in Rota (Spain), is an embarked headquarters forward deployed to ATALANTA Area of Operations, responsible for the Tactical Command of all EUNAVFOR multinational assets in the area. Its main responsibility is conducting operations at the operational and tactical level, under the ATALANTA Operation mandate and the Operation Headquarters’ guidance.
