The Force rotation is commanded by the Portuguese Commodore Alexandre Serrano, and the Spanish ship, ESPS SANTA MARIA continuous as flagship of the Operation.
On 12 December, Portuguese Commodore Alexandre Serrano assumed the second tour of the command of the 48th rotation as Force Commander of the European Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) ATALANTA. He takes command of Task Force 465 from Portuguese Commodore Armando Pereira da Costa Valente Tinoco who was in command since 15 October 2024. The hand over event took place on board the EUNAVFOR ATALANTA flagship, Spanish ship ESPS SANTA MARIA, in the Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman.
The ceremony was chaired by the EUNAVFOR ATALANTA Deputy Operation Commander Rear Admiral Domenico Guglielmi, who conveyed his highest appreciation for his commitment to the outgoing Force Commander and wish the best for the incoming Force Commander. The event was also attended by several international and local civilian and military authorities.
“The success in maintaining the freedom of navigation in this region, so rightfully cherished by maritime trade globally, lies in the long-lasting and relentless cooperation of the various stakeholders. You have my pledge of full commitment with EUNAVFOR ATALANTA” said Commodore Alexandre Serrano, the incoming Force Commander. He will lead the 48th rotation of Operation ATALANTA forces.
The Force Headquarters, under the command of the Operation Headquarters in Rota (Spain), is an embarked headquarters forward deployed to ATALANTA Area of Operations, responsible for the Tactical Command of all EUNAVFOR multinational assets in the area. Its main responsibility is conducting operations at the operational and tactical level, under the ATALANTA Operation mandate and the Operation Headquarters’ guidance.
