Whilst on a recent port visit to the Seychelles, sailors from Operation Atalanta’s German Flagship, FGS Bayern, spent a day working with the Seychelles Marine Police Unit (MPU).
The German sailors provided training covering a variety of skills. These included boarding, securing a ship’s landing zone and damage control in event of a fire on board. It was agreed by all that the day’s events had been extremely worthwhile. The MPU were enthusiastic learners and keen participants.
Providing regional partners, such as the MPU, with maritime skills training is a rewarding element of Operation Atalanta’s work and directly contributes to the mission of deterring and disrupting Somali piracy in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden. After leaving the Seychelles, FGS Bayern returned to counter-piracy patrols to ensure the seas are kept safe for all maritime users.