EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

Protecting vulnerable vessels in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden is one of Operation Atalanta’s key tasks. The World Food Programme (WFP) ship MV Douro has an embarked Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment (AVPD) aboard to ensure her valuable cargo of food-aid is protected en route to Somalia.

Op Atalanta’s Force Commander, Royal Netherlands Navy Commodore Luyckx, recently visited the Serbian AVPD currently aboard MV Douro to meet the team and discuss the valuable contribution they are making both to the Operation and to WFP efforts in the region.

As a counter-piracy operation, Atalanta is mandated to not only provide protection to vessels but also to deter and disrupt piracy in the seas off the Somali coast. AVPDs provide the Force Commander with greater flexibility when tasking his assets; a warship is not required to directly ensure the WFP vessel’s safety and can therefore focus on another geographical area or task, ensuring maritime security is best maintained.