November 2017

The 41st Shared Awareness and De-Confliction (SHADE) conference took place in Bahrain, on 21st and 22nd November and chaired by Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), with renewed worldwide interest following very recent piracy attacks off the coast of Somalia and into the Western Indian Ocean.

  During the transfer of six suspected pirates on 26th November, Rear Admiral Fabio Gregori took the opportunity to strengthen the relationship between with the President of the Republic of Seychelles His Excellency (H.E.) Danny Faure and Operation Atalanta.

On the 27th November, EU NAVFOR’s Spanish Warship ESPS Patiño met up with CTF151 Pakistan Warship PNS Tariq to conduct counter-piracy exercises at sea off the Somali Coast.

Over the course of three days from 12th to the 14th November, members of the Tanzanian Defence Force Navy trained with members of ITS Fasan to bolster Maritime Capability in the Indian Ocean.

On the 14th November the Force Commander of EU NAVFOR’s Operation Atalanta, Rear Admiral Fabio Gregori visited General Mabeyo, Chief of Tanzania People's Defence Force and Rear Admiral Makanzo, Commander of Naval Forces in Dar Es Salaam.

A two-week military crisis planning exercise was held at the EU NAVFOR Operational Headquarters (OHQ) in Northwood from 3-16th November 2017.

EU NAVFOR confirms two vessels were attacked over the weekend of 17-18th November 2017. The first was MV Ever Dynamic and the second was Galerna III

EU NAVFOR Somalia’s Flagship, the Italian vessel ITS Virginio Fasan, has apprehended six suspected pirates and seized their vessels.

Italian Sailors and Marines currently deployed on board EU NAVFOR's flagship ITS Fasan have helped train members of the Somali Police Force Maritime Unit off the coast of Mogadishu.

On 7th and 8th November 2017, the Force Commander for EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta, Rear Admiral Fabio Gregori, met the current commander of the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) Brigadier General Pietro Addis (Italian Army) in Mogadishu, Somalia.

The British High Commission and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany held a united Service of Remembrance at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery and German War Memorial in Dar Es Salaam on 12th November 2017.

On 4 November, EU NAVFOR Spanish Warship ESPS Rayo hosted Ambassador Marjaana Sall, Head of Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Mauritius.

On the 7th November 2017, Major General Rob Magowan CBE handed over command of EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta to Major General Charlie Stickland OBE after 17 months in charge.

Earlier in November, the Operation Commander (OpComd) of EU Naval forces, Major General Rob Magowan met Brigadier General Pietro Addis (Italian Army) the Head of the EU Training Mission in Somalia.

As the beginning of November comes, the European Union Naval Force continues to repress piracy off the coast of Somalia.

EU NAVFOR Italian Warship, ITS Fasan recently welcomed representatives from the Galmudug Coast Guard and the local women’s organisation.