On Thursday 5 March Spanish Navy warship, ESPS Infanta Cristina, joined the European Union’s counter-piracy mission, Operation Atalanta off the coast of Somalia.

ESPS Infanta Cristina departed her home port of Cartagena in Spain on Wednesday 18 February.

Commanded by Lieutenant Commander David Duran Mayoral, the ship and her crew conducted a period of operational sea training in preparation for joining the EU Naval Force and as a result, ESPS Infanta Cristina is now fully ready to take part in counter-piracy patrols and to escort vulnerable shipping in the area of operations.

ESPS Infanta Cristina was originally a Descubierta class corvette, but was later converted to a patrol craft.  With a length of 89 metres, a displacement of 1,495 tonnes and a crew of 106, her specifications make her the perfect ship for missions such as Operation Atalanta.

The ship will be deployed to the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden until mid July.

EU Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta’s main tasks are to escort and protect vulnerable vessels and deter and disrupt piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. EU Naval Force warships also monitor fishing activity off the coast of Somalia and can provide assistance to EU missions and other organisations that are working to strengthen maritime security in the region.