EU NAVFOR welcomes the Greek Frigate FFG NIKIFOROS FOKAS

May 12, 2011 - 08:30
Commanded by Commander Panagiotopoulos, the ship and its crew are fully prepared and trained to take an active part within Operation ATALANTA and in all counter-piracy operations.

FFG NIKIFOROS FOKAS is equipped with extensive self defense measures and has 1 helicopter at its disposal.

As a flexible warship, FFG NIKIFOROS FOKAS is perfectly adapted to counter-piracy missions and will improve the capability of EU NAVFOR to protect vulnerable vessels, especially those of the World Food Programme and AMISOM. She will also contribute to deterring and preventing acts of piracy, as well as monitoring fishing activities off the coast of Somalia.

F-466 NIKIFOROS FOKAS holds 179 crew members, including 32 officers. She has been commissioned for service in the Greek Navy since 2004. Her displacement is 3,600 tons and she has a length of 130.5 meters. She is participating in EU NAVFOR for the second time. Her first deployment on Operation ATALANTA was in 2009.

EUNAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). EU NAVFOR also protects vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, deters and disrupts piracy. EU NAVFOR finally monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

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