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On Thursday 28 November EU Naval Force warship, ESPS Meteoro made its ninth and last replenishment at sea (RAS) with the logistic American ship USNS Joshua Humphries. The meeting between both ships was close to the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor in the Gulf of Aden, and five days before ESPS Meteoro finished its long deployment in Operation Atalanta. Good coordination between both ships and their crews ensured the RAS was conducted with minimal delay. On completion, ESPS Meteoro continued her counter piracy patrols. EU Naval Force Warship ESPS Meteoro Conducts Search And Rescue Exercise at Sea ESPS Meteoro has been part of EU Naval Force’s Operation Atalanta since 15 August. The ship has sailed more than 20,000 nautical miles, conducted 79 friendly approaches with local seafarers and carried out 57 flying sorties with the embarked SH60B helicop During the exercise, two rescue divers from the embarked air wing simulated two men who had been washed overboard. The Spanish warship’s SH-60B helicopter was quickly launched and ‘rescued’ them from the sea using a rescue hook. During the evening of November 22, a search and rescue exercise was conducted by ESPS Meteoro and her embarked helicopter. On Friday 22 November 2013 a delegation from EU Naval Force’s flagship HNLMS Johan de Witt visited the Chinese Force Commander and his staff on board the Chinese flagship CNS Jing Gang Shan in the Gulf of Aden. The visit was an opportunity to discuss coun Speaking about his visit to the Chinese flagship, Commodore Peter Lenselink said “The cooperation with the Chinese Navy is outstanding and underlines the importance they give to safe and free trade at sea.” During the visit, both sides exchanged experiences on counter piracy operations. They also highlighted the good maritime cooperation between EU Naval Force and the Chinese Navy. EU Naval Force Italian Ship ITS Libeccio refuelled at sea by US Auxiliary Ship USNS Artic. In the early morning of Tuesday 19 November, EU Naval Force warship ITS Libeccio carried out a replenishment at sea (RAS) with the American auxiliary ship, USNS Arctic. The RAS, which was conducted in coordination with the US Fast Combat Support Ship, required the two ships to sail very close together so that the fuel lines could be passed, so a lot of preparation and vigilance was required by both crews prior to, and du The Italian frigate is a Maestrale class frigate. She was commissioned on 5 February 1983, and in 2008 she underwent a thorough modernisation of both the platform (engines and main technical rigs), and the combat systems. At the end of the RAS, ITS Libeccio returned to her counter piracy patrols in the pirate high risk area off the Somali coast. ITS Libeccio joined EU Naval Force’s Operation Atalanta on 6 October 2013. Prior to RFA Lyme Bay departing Djibouti for home, EU Naval Force Chief of Staff in the Operational Headquarters in Northwood, Captain Peter Olive Royal Navy, paid a short visit to present Operation Atalanta medals to some of the crew. A service of remembrance was also conducted at sea and attended by members of the Ship’s Company and Somaliland Coastguard students. IMG_43The ship embarked a Lynx Mark 8 helicopter. Prior to commencing her counter piracy operations, RFA Lyme Bay was augmented with boarding teams from the Fleet Contingency Troop and Royal Marines from 42 Commando. 539 ASRM provided waterborne transport capability with 2 rigid inflatable boats. The participants were briefed by the ship’s Commanding Officer, Lt.-Cdr Juan Carlos Pérez on the Spanish Navy’s (and other European navies) contribution to the EU’s counter piracy operation Atalanta as well as in general aspects and security regulations o Combined trainings contribute to operate in a coordinated way and encourage maritime security in the area. Earlier this week during a port-call at Dar es Salaam the Spanish Ocean Patrol Vessel ESPS ‘Meteoro’, as part of the EU Naval Froce (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta has carried out a series of trainings with personnel from the Tanzanian Navy as part The practical exercise for the Tanzanian Navy personnel a (simulated) board, search and seizure operation Members of the Embarked Forces from Lyme Bay played the role of the crew of the vessel being boarded. The Cutless Express participants were divided into three teams and tasked to ‘search and secure’ different sections of Lyme Bay: from the Machinery Control Room to the Bridge on 9 deck. On Tuesday 12 November, a team from HNLMS Johan de Witt, together with 23 servicemen from Djibouti, Uganda, Somalia and Rwanda came together to discuss and train in evidence handling procedures, with the focus on dealing with suspected Somali pirates. As part of the scenario, one member of the ship’s company played the part of a suspicious passenger who had to be located and secured. Admiral Abdi Hirse Duale and Colonel Ahmed Ali Salah from the Somaliland Coast Guard are handing out the certificate to a training participant. Participants having a four-day training five 4-wheel-drive vehicles donation from EUCAP Nestor to support the activities of their counterparts from the Somaliland Coast Guard Jean-Eric Troubat Marines of the Netherlands Defence Para School and Guardian Angels of the United States Air Force, also stationed in Djibouti, supported the para jump exercise. They jumped out of an American C130 aircraft of the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, The para jump on water is a way of quickly deploying marines, anywhere and anytime, closely to a maritime unit in order to operate at and from the sea. If the marines are not on board, they can be flown in for a counter piracy operation. On Tuesday November 12, marines of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps, embarked on the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atlanta flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt, have executed a parachute jump exercise in the Gulf of Aden. In his opening speech, Commodore Lenselink emphasised the good cooperation between all involved parties in counter piracy EU Naval Force Chief of Staff briefed how the EU Naval Force and other counter piracy forces are contributing to the fight against piracy EU Naval Force Operation Atalanta Flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt, has hosted the Contact Group of Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS)