EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

On 17 and 18 July, the Djiboutian navy and the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) French frigate Guépratte, participated in the joint surveillance operation “7 Brothers” in international waters near the Islands of Seven Brothers and the Bab El Mandeb strait.

Utilising a new operational centre and a network of signalling stations, the Djiboutian navy patrolled for two days – supported by EU NAVFOR French frigate Guépratte – in the southern Red Sea and the western Gulf of Aden, which is so important for international trade. The Djiboutian navy now has the tools necessary to increase their effectiveness in maritime surveillance in an area where more than 20,000 merchant ships pass each year.

Djiboutian patrol boats deployed for this operation, conducted several surveillance missions, leading merchant ships in the Strait of Bab El Mandeb to the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). The Djibouti navy was well prepared and enthusiastic to get deeper involved in Counter Piracy. The units utilised new procedures as well as a semaphore signalling system to improve the collection and transmission of information, increasing the effectiveness of surveillance in the area.

EUNAVFOR French frigate Guépratte was used as a radar picket and supported the patrol boats with logistics and counselling where required. One objective of this operation, planned in collaboration with EU NAVFOR Force Headquarters on board FS Marne, was to contribute to efforts to enhance Djiboutian Navy capabilities to prevent acts of piracy, particularly in the Strait of Bab El Mandeb.

The Strait of Bab El Mandeb, which separates the Red Sea from Gulf of Aden is a key area for commercial shipping, with more than 50 ships passing through this strait every day to continue their journey into the Indian Ocean.

This area is especially sensitive during monsoon as it is sheltered from bad weather conditions encountered on the high seas. Many fishing skiffs and dhows concentrate there and pirates have taken advantage of this situation in the past.

The 7 Brothers joint operation is one example of EU NAVFOR’s efforts to cooperate with regional maritime forces. Such cooperation, regularly conducted by EU NAVFOR, complements the EU’s Comprehensive Approach and the support to regional maritime capacity building in the Horn of Africa states.