March 2009

In an very open gesture of mutual cooperation and understanding the European Union Force Commander Commodore Antonios Papaioannou from the Hellenic Navy was invited onboard the destroyer WUHAN to meet Rear Admiral DU JINGCHEN the commander of the Chinese anti-piracy operation off Somalia.
Mar 30, 2009
Events in the Gulf of Aden took an unexpected turn this weekend when the German Naval Tanker FGS SPESSART, that is currently attached to EU NAVFOR from NATO, was attacked 85 miles north of Bosasso yesterday afternoon.
Mar 30, 2009
Two European owned chemical tankers have been hijacked in the Somali basin in the past 24 hours. A 9,000 tonne Greek owned Panamanian registered vessel with its 19 crew was attacked approximately 450 miles east of Kismaayo yesterday afternoon.
Mar 26, 2009
Two German ships from NATO have joined Op Atalanta in the Gulf of Aden this week; the frigate FGS EMDEN and the tanker FGS SPESSART.
Mar 26, 2009
A 43,000 tonne Greek owned bulk carrier, the MV TITAN was hijacked earlier this afternoon while transiting eastbound through the IRTC in the Gulf of Aden.
Mar 19, 2009
On Wednesday, the British Op Atalanta Commander Rear Admiral Phillip Jones welcomed the UK Minister for The Armed Forces, The Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP, to the EU NAVFOR operations headquarters in Northwood.
Mar 19, 2009
For the first time a vessel of the EU Naval Force Atalanta handed over arrested pirates to the Kenyan authorities for prosecution.
Mar 11, 2009
The Op Atalanta German frigate FGS RHEINLAND-PFALZ made an unofficial rendezvous with the German cruise liner MS DEUTSCHLAND as she traveled through the Gulf of Aden yesterday.
Mar 08, 2009
The Italian Navy has officially announced that the corvette ITS COMMANDANTE BETTICA, will join the EU Naval Force operating off the coast of Somalia this week.
Mar 07, 2009
A legal agreement was announced today allowing suspected pirates detained by the European Union Naval Force Atalanta to be prosecuted in Kenyan courts and if found guilty sentenced to imprisonment in their jails.
Mar 06, 2009
The Norwegian Government announced this week that they will contribute one of their brand new NANSEN-Class Frigates to the EU NAVFOR anti-piracy operation. The 5000 tonne warship will bring a significant capability to the Op Atalanta force when it deploys in August.
Mar 05, 2009
Early this morning the German warship RHEINLAND-PFALZ and the American destroyer MONTEREY successfully fended off a pirate attack on the German owned MV COURIER as it transited through the Gulf of Aden.
Mar 03, 2009