December 2009

MV JAIPUR, a Jordanian bulk carrier, chartered by the UN World Food Program, left Mombasa with EU NAVFOR warship FGS BREMEN on the 21st of December.

On the 28th of December, COMEUNAVFOR, Rear Admiral Giovanni Gumiero,  met the Commander of Combined Task Force 151 and the Command of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), on board USS CHOSIN (CTF 151 Flagship), while patrolling in the IRTC, in the Gulf of Aden.

On the 27th of December MV FIDEL, UN World Food Program chartered vessel, met EU NAVFOR warship FS COMMANDANT L’HERMINIER in the Gulf of Aden, just south of Bab-al-Mandeb, and was escorted Berbera city, in the northern coast of Somalia.

  In the evening of 28 December, the Panama Flag (Greek owned) Bulk Carrier, the MV NAVIOS APOLLON, was hijacked approximately 200 nautical miles East of the Seychelles.

On the afternoon of 28 December the U.K Flagged Chemical Tanker the M/V ST JAMES PARK, owned by PHILBOX LIMITED, was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden whilst transiting the International Recognized Transit Corridor (IRTC).

On 28 December 2009, the Singapore flagged Container Ship KOTA WAJAR was released outside Haradere off the coast of Somalia. EU NAVFOR is monitoring the situation.  

On 27 December 2009, the Bulk Carrier DE XIN HAI from the Peoples Republic of China was released outside Hobyo off the coast of Somalia.

On the 25 of December, EU NAVFOR  French warship COMMANDANT L'HERMINIER  handed over 7 castaways to Somali Authorities in the waters off BOSASO, north of Somalia. 

On the morning of Monday 21 December, the EU NAVFOR warship FGS BREMEN, completed her successful escort of the MV DELVINA .

On the afternoon of Thursday 17 December, the Greek owned( Marshall Island flagged ship) bulk carrier named the MV Delvina, was released by a pirate group holding her at Haradeera, on the south Somali Coast.

In the afternoon of Tuesday 16 December EU NAVFOR Netherlands warship headed north from the Gulf of Aden to return home after an extremely busy and successful four months on anti piracy patrols. Cdre Giovanni GUMIERO, Italian Navy, took over Command of Task Force 465 from Cdre Pieter BINDT, Netherla

Within a week of taking over her anti piracy duties in the Gulf of Aden as the EU NAVFOR Flag Ship, Italian warship ETNA has shown her ability to react swiftly in a crisis.

The Swedish Government has announced that it is to send one Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) of the Swedish Coast Guard to join EU NAVFOR Somalia - OP ATALANTA in the early part of next year.

 Discussions between EU NAVFOR and the Kenyan Ministry of Defence on the provision of support to the Kenyan Air force (KAF) MPA came to fruition earlier this month with the fitting of camera equipment that will support the fight against piracy.

EU NAVFOR can confirm that the Greek cargo ship Ariana was freed on 10th December by Somali pirates after 7 months in captivity. The entire crew of 27 Ukrainian personnel, including 2 women, are believed to be well.

With a simple ceremony off Djibouti waters, onboard the EU NAVFOR Dutch warship EVERTSEN, RADM Giovanni GUMIERO, Italian Navy, took over Command of Task Force 465 from RADM Pieter BINDT, Netherlands Navy.

Today, 11 Dec 2009, Rear Admiral Thorsten Kaehler (German Navy) handed over the responsibility of Deputy Operation Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia Operation ATALANTA, the EU anti-piracy campaign in the Horn of Africa area, to Rear Admiral Bartolomé Bauzá (Spanish navy).

10 December 2009 marks the first anniversary of EU NAVFOR Somalia - Operation Atalanta, the successful EU Naval Force operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Somali Basin against piracy.

On 05 December a Pakistan flagged fishing vessel named Shahbaig was hijacked in the Indian Ocean, 320 nautical miles east of Socatra. With its 29 Persons on Board, understood to be Pakistani, the Somalian Pirates hold now 11 Ships and 283 Hostages along the Somali Coastline.

In the evening of December 6th approximately 250 nautical miles North West of Victoria Seychelles a pirate attack group was neutralized by EU NAVFOR and the Seychellois Coast Guard.

On December 7th 2009, EU NAVFOR Netherlands warship HNLMS Evertsen detected a sailing vessel in the Gulf of Aden. The region is considered a hotbed for piracy and is considered too dangerous for lone yachtsmen.

From 29 Nov to 2 Dec, Rear Admiral Peter Hudson Operational Commander of EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation Atalanta, visitied Djibouti and Kenya to say thank you to the authorities for their cooperation in fighting piracy and for their excellent support to EU NAVFOR.

This afternoon the Antigua Barbuda flagged MV Charelle was released by pirates after spending nearly 6 months in pirate captivity. The MV Charelle was hijacked by pirates south of Oman the 12 June 2009. The ship has a crew of 10.

In the afternoon of 2 December, 150 nautical miles south of Salalah, Oman the Antigua & Barbuda flagged General Cargo Ship MV BBC Togo was attacked by pirates in two attack skiffs.

On Wednesday 2 December the Force Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR), Commodore Pieter Bindt, met with his South Korean counterpart, Commander of the Republic of Korea Naval Escort Task Group, Captain Seung-Woo Kim on board the EU NAVFOR flagship Netherlands HNLM

On Tuesday 1 December 09, ITS ETNA under the Command of Capitano di Vascello Marco Novella sailed from Taranto to join the EU Naval Force operating off the Somali coast in its Anti Piracy mission. The ship will to take her place as Flagship of the European Union Anti Piracy Force.

Despite increased tension in Mogadishu and a heightened pirate threat, the EU NAVFOR warship Louise-Marie escorted African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) ship Alpha Kirawira from Mombasa to Mogadishu.

On 29 November a Greek Crude Oil Tanker the M/V Maran Centaurus, was hijacked in the Somali Basin, 600 nautical miles North East of the Seychelles. The 300,294 tonne ship is now at anchor 30 nautical miles south of Hobyo.

On the morning of 29 November 2009, 175 nautical miles east of Victoria, Seychelles a Spanish Fishing Vessel was attacked by pirates in two attack skiffs. Her embarked security team fired warning shots after which the pirates broke of their attack.