2010 Operation Ocean Shield Archive News Articles

NATO warship HDMS Esbern Snare Prevents Pirate Attacks Off the Coast of Somalia

LONDON:  Last night Danish warship Esbern Snare, who is part of NATO’s counter-piracy mission, code-named Operation Ocean Shield, disrupted a group of pirate boats 150 miles off the east coast of Somalia. The ever watchful crew from the Danish warship had sighted the pirates, operating as a group of 2 boats, on the look-out for merchant ships to hijack.  As Esbern Snare crept ever closer to the scene, a team of marines from the Danish Special Maritime Insertion Unit prepared for a night time operation to disable the pirate ‘mother ship’. Press Release.

NATO Warship USS Laboon Disrupts Two Groups Of Pirates Within Two Days - Gulf of Aden 

LONDON: NATO warship USS Laboon, who is operating in the Gulf of Aden as part of NATO’s counter-piracy mission, code-named Operation Ocean Shield, disrupted a group of suspected pirates yesterday. The US warship received a distress call from the master of a merchant vessel who reported that his ship was being fired upon by men in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). As USS Laboon raced to the scene, Indian warship INS Rajput, who was patrolling nearby, also helped to intercept the skiff. Press Release View Pictures

NATO Warship USS KAUFFMAN Disrupts Pirates in Gulf of Aden
Yesterday afternoon the helicopter from NATO warship USS KAUFFMAN
located a suspicious skiff with five suspected pirates on board. USS KAUFFMAN is operating as part of NATO’s maritime counter-piracy task force in the Gulf of Aden. As USS KAUFFMAN closed to investigate the skiff, the nearby helicopter of coalition warship ENDURANCE from the Singapore Navy, operating with Combined Task Force 151, also closed to support.

Press Release

LONDON: Whilst conducting night time patrols in the Gulf of Aden, NATO’s counter piracy flagship for Operation ‘OCEAN SHIELD’ located a boat with six suspected pirates onboard. The Royal Danish Navy warship, ESBERN SNARE initially detected the boat on radar, and then identified it as a suspected pirate skiff using the ship’s infrared camera.

Press release

LONDON: Early this morning Royal Danish Navy warship HDMS ESBERN SNARE, operating as the Flagship for NATO’s counter-piracy Operation OCEAN SHIELD off the Horn of Africa, disrupted yet another group of suspected pirates preparing to attack innocent merchant vessels transiting in the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) in the Gulf of Aden. This is the second skiff of suspected pirates that warship ESBERN SNARE has disrupted in the past 24 hours. Press release

View Video

Only two days after the latest pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden, Danish warship ESBERN SNARE disrupted a group of suspected pirates in a skiff believed to be preparing for an attack. The pirates were initially detected by a Japanese maritime patrol aircraft in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) in the Gulf of Aden. ESBERN SNARE’s helicopter fired warning shots in front of the skiff to force the suspected pirates to stop. The suspected pirates finally stopped after a shot was fired through the bow of the skiff. Prior to ESBERN SNARE’s boarding team arrival, the helicopter crew observed the suspected pirates throwing their attack ladder and weapons, including a rocket propelled grenade overboard.  Seven suspected pirates were apprehended and pirate related paraphernalia was confiscated by ESBERN SNARE’s boarding team. Captain Carsten Fjord-Larsen, the Commanding Officer of ESBERN SNARE commented that: “The pirates don’t seem to realise the danger they put themselves in by not complying with our orders.  My team did a great job today to safely compel the suspected pirates from attacking high risk merchant vessels transiting in the Gulf of Aden”. Press Release

Royal Navy Warship Begins NATO Counter Piracy Operation
Royal Navy warship HMS Montrose has arrived in the Gulf of Aden to take part in Operation Ocean Shield - NATO’s counter piracy mission off the Horn of Africa.  As part of the NATO Task Force, HMS Montrose is patrolling the busy shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden, with the ship’s crew constantly on the look-out for pirates who prey on the merchant ships that transit the area. As 95% of the world’s trade goes by sea it is crucial that NATO naval forces help to keep the seas safe from acts of piracy.

Press Release

NATO, EU and Japanese Forces Prevent Pirate Attack off Africa.
Sunday, a Japanese Maritime Self Defence (JMSDF) maritime patrol aircraft located a pirate skiff with seven suspected pirates on board. The suspected pirates were preparing to attack merchant vessels transiting the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) in the Gulf of Aden. Within minutes a helicopter from the Danish warship ESBERN SNARE from NATO’s counter-piracy task force intercepted the skiff. Subsequently the suspected pirates threw their weapons overboard and surrendered. The Italian warship ITS LIBECCIO from the EU Naval Force’s counter-piracy task force sent their helicopter to provide airborne support. The American warship, USS KAUFFMAN who is also in NATO’s counter-piracy operation, codenamed OCEAN SHIELD, closed and boarded the skiff and found a pirate ladder and other pirate related paraphernalia. Press Release

31 August 10

NATO Flagship ESBERN SNARE Disrupts Pirate Attacks in Gulf of Aden.
Saturday, NATO flagship HDMS ESBERN SNARE, in cooperation with international counter-piracy forces successfully disrupted multiple piracy attacks on Panamanian flagged MV Caribbean Carrier and Norwegian flagged Hoegh Oslo who were transiting in the Gulf of Aden. MV Caribbean Carrier was transiting in the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) in the Gulf of Aden when she reported being under attack from pirates firing at her. US warship Winston Churchill working for combined coalition forces and Danish Warship ESBERN SNARE, the flagship of NATO’s counter-piracy mission, responded to the call for help. After the pirates broke off the attack a Spanish Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) working for EU Naval Forces located and tracked the pirate skiff and observed the pirates now trying to attack another ship, MV Hoegh Oslo. After ESBERN SNARE’s helicopter arriving on scene, the pirate skiff broke off the attack and tried to escape towards Somalia.

Press Release

23 August 10

NATO and Indian Counter-Piracy Task Force Commanders Meet

The Commander of NATO’s counter-piracy task force, Commodore Christian Rune, Royal Danish Navy, met with the Commander of the Indian counter-piracy task group, Captain S. Srikant, Commanding Officer of INS DELHI yesterday.  Onboard NATO’s flagship, HDMS ESBERN SNARE, in Salalah, Oman, they discussed developments in counter-piracy tactics and improvements in communications and information sharing between the forces.

Press Release

NATO / Japan cooperation in Gulf of Aden disrupts pirate attack
The NATO warship HNLMS DE ZEVEN PROVINCÏEN, working in conjunction with a Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) helicopter disrupted a single skiff pirate attack on MV ANANGEL INNOVATION this morning. MV ANANGEL INNOVATION, a Greek-flagged ship, reported being approached by a small skiff while transiting eastbound in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) in the Gulf of Aden. Commodore Christian Rune, Royal Danish Navy, Commander, Task Force 508, stated: “The helo and ship crews from JMSDF MURASAME and HNLMS DE ZEVEN PROVINCÏEN responded magnificently in disrupting another piracy attack in the IRTC. The cooperation between Japanese Maritime Self Defence Forces and NATO is proof of the commitment by the international community to establish a secure maritime environment in the Horn of Africa region”. Press Release

USS KAUFFMAN prevents pirate attack in Gulf of Aden
Early this morning, USS KAUFFMAN’s helicopter prevented a pirate attack on MV ICE EXPLORER transiting the Gulf of Aden in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). Kauffman was conducting routine air and surface searches for suspect vessels in the area when MV ICE EXPLORER reported a possible pirate attack. USS KAUFFMAN immediately redirected their helicopter to the merchant ship whereupon the pirates broke off the attack and surrendered. KAUFFMAN’s helicopter crew observed the pirates dumping weapons and other objects in the water. USS KAUFFMAN approached the pirate skiff and her boarding team confiscated some pirate paraphernalia.
Press Release

NATO Co-operation with Japan continues
Close co-operation between NATO units and other forces has led to the successful disruption of pirate activities in the Gulf of Aden. Key to this success has been the ability of naval and air assets from different nations, such as Japan, to rapidly respond to any detection of pirate activity. Earlier this week, the Commanding Officers of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 and 2, Commodore Christian Rune (Royal Danish Navy) and Commodore Michiel Hijmans (Royal Netherlands Navy), hosted a Japanese delegation on board of HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën in the port of Djibouti.
Press Release

Russian Commander visits NATO Flagship
Earlier today, Commodore Michiel Hijmans (Royal Netherlands Navy), Commander of NATO’s counter piracy Task Force hosted a visit on board his flagship by the Russian Task Force Commander Senior Captain Vladimir Kondratov. HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën and RFS Admiral Levchenko met as they were patrolling in the Gulf of Aden near the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). Recently in June the ships had an unexpected rendezvous in the Atlantic Ocean on their way to the Gulf of Aden when the Commanders spoke of possible future cooperation. Now approximately six weeks later they are meeting again to share information and to discuss future ways of collaboration between NATO and the Russian Federation in the area.

Press Release

Puntland Minister visits NATO Flagship
Over the weekend, the Minister of Ports, Fisheries and Counter Piracy, Mr. Said Rage, and a delegation of the

 Puntland Coastal Monitoring Force visited the flagship of the NATO counter  piracy Task Force that is patrolling the waters off Somalia. At the moment of the visit HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën was near the Northern Somali town of Bosaso, conducting counter piracy operations near the Northern coastline. The Minister took this opportunity to come on board and meet for the second time with the NATO Task Force Commander, Commodore Michiel Hijmans (Royal Netherlands Navy), to discuss the general situation of Puntland, including its counter piracy efforts. Press Release

MV Suez pirated in the Gulf of Aden
At approximately 0415 GMT, the container ship MV Suez reported that they were under attack by one white skiff (small boat) and shots had been fired at the motor vessel to force it to stop. The ship was reportedly employing Best Management Practices, having barbed wire in place and fire hoses ready.
Two NATO warships, HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën and USS Cole, from the NATO counter piracy task force undertaking Operation OCEAN SHIELD, and a Singaporean warship the RSS Endurance from the CMF taskforce were within forty miles of MV Suez at the time of the attack. Despite reacting immediately and having a helicopter on the scene within 10 minutes, naval forces were unable to prevent the attack as the pirates had been able to board the ship within 5 minutes. Press Release

Counter Piracy Commanders meet in the Gulf of Aden

The Commanding Officers of two counter piracy Task Forces met on board the South Korean Flagship ROKS Kang Gam Chan in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday 14 July. The main purpose of the meeting between Rear Admiral Beom Rim Lee (South Korean Navy), Commander of the Combined Task Force 151, and Commodore Michiel Hijmans (Royal Netherlands Navy), Commander of the NATO Task Force 508, was to exchange views and to strengthen the cooperation between the forces.

Press Release

Earlier today, Commodore Michiel Hijmans, Commander of NATO’s counter piracy mission,Operation Ocean Shield, hosted a meeting on board his flagship, HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën, for Ministers from Puntland. It was the first meeting between the Puntland Ministers and Commodore Hijmans (Royal Netherlands Navy), who took up his role 30th of June 2010.

Press Release

The Commanding Officer of the Singaporean Armed Forces counter piracy Task Group, Colonel Tan Kai Cheong, today visited Dutch warship, HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën - the flagship of NATO’s counter piracy mission, code-named Operation Ocean Shield. Colonel Tan is based in the Singapore Navy Landing Ship Tank, RSS Endurance operating within the multinational Combined Maritime Force, based out of Bahrain. Press Release

Early yesterday, (5th July) Puntland authorities contacted the NATO flagship HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën requesting aid for the dhow, Al Anwari. The dhow reportedly with a crew of 19, which was sailing from Omanto Boosaaso, had sunk off the North Eastern coast of Somalia. A US Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), conducting counter piracy missions in the area, was asked by the Commander of Task Force 508 to fly to the last known location of the Al Anwari to investigate. Upon arrival the MPA saw oil and debris in the water and found a life raft with people in it and others in the surrounding water, waving a flag. Press release

The new flagship of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën, met with the USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group in the Red Sea in order to conduct replenishment at sea with the USNS Supply, the tanker of the Strike Group. Together with USS Cole and TCG Gelibolu, HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën forms Task Force 508 which is conducting the counter piracy Operation Ocean Shield. The US Strike Group further consists of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the cruiser USS Hue City, the destroyer USS McFaul and the Air Defence Frigate FGS Hessen. The Group recently conducted operations in the Gulf of Aden. Commander SNMG2, Commodore Michiel Hijmans said: “Cooperation between different task forces and units is of vital interest. It demonstrates the flexibility of naval units all over the world and strengthens the ties between allies.”

The Netherlands assumes command of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2

Yesterday the Netherlands assumed command of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). Commodore Michiel B. Hijmans (RNLN) took over from Commodore Steve J. Chick (RN) during a ceremony in Safaga, Egypt overseen by the Chief of Staff of the NATO Maritime Component Command in Naples, Rear Admiral Bruce N. Williams (RN). The ceremony took place on board of HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën which became the new flagship of the Group. The former flagship, HMS Chatham, was also present in Safaga. Currently SNMG2 is conducting NATO’s counter piracy mission, Operation Ocean Shield, in the waters of the Gulf of Aden and the Somali Basin.

Press Release / View Pictures

Future Commander SNMG2 visits Training Centre in Souda Bay
During a short port visit by HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën in Souda Bay,
Commodore Michiel Hijmans RNLN, the designate Commander of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), visited the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operations Training Centre (NMIOTC). He was met by the Commanding Officer Commodore Athanasios Makris HN and was given a tour of the Training Centre. At the end of the visit Commodore Hijmans said: “In preparation of the upcoming task as SNMG2 Commander in Operation Ocean Shield and Operation Active Endeavour, this visit was a great opportunity to meet with the Commanding Officer of NMIOTC and make future plans for the training of SNMG2 units”.

Press Release

 Admiral Sir Trevor Soar visits Counter Piracy Flagship

Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, Northwood’s NATO Commander, earlier this week spent 2 days visiting HMS Chatham as she conducted counter piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.HMS Chatham is the Flagship to the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) and the Admiral spent time with Commodore Steve Chick Royal Navy, Commander SNMG2, and his staff. Coincidentally, both Admiral Soar and Commodore Chick are former Commanding Officers of the Warship.
In between formal briefings and meetings, Admiral Soar took the time to tour the Ship and talk to as many of the Ship’s Company as possible. On his final day with HMS Chatham, a Japanese Navy aircraft detected a dhow towing 2 smaller skiffs in the Internationally Recommended Transit corridor (IRTC) and asked the Ship to investigate. Once it was established that the vessel was a fishing dhow, an assurance visit was conducted and the Admiral was able to witness how the Sailors and Royal Marines work in co-operation with the local maritime community.
Admiral Soar said “As the Command platform for CTF 508, the NATO Task Force, HMS Chatham works closely with other partners in the region such as the EU and Coalition Maritime Forces and during her time in the area piracy has been significantly reduced in the Gulf of Aden and operations continue to disrupt piracy in the Somali Basin. It has been a privilege to visit HMS Chatham on operations and to witness firsthand the effectiveness of counter piracy efforts and regional engagement in the area of operations.” View pictures

Puntland Security Forces free pirated ship
Early this morning, Puntland Security Forces mounted an operation to free the Panamanian-flagged, pirated ship, QSM Dubai. A force of approximately 50 personnel tracked the pirated vessel as it sailed down  the northern coast of Puntland and carried out a surprise boarding to  retake control. Shots were fired during the operation and casualties were sustained. One crew member was killed and another sustained injuries. In addition, two members of the Puntland Security Force were also injured. USS Cole, part of NATO’s counter piracy task force conducting Operation Ocean Shield, was shadowing the QSM Dubai from a distance although they took no part in the actual operation. Once the Puntland Forces had control of the ship, they requested medical assistance from USS Cole. The doctor from the NATO warship boarded the QSM Dubai once it was safe to do so and provided treatment to the injured. Press Release  

HMS Chatham hosted an event for media off Boosaaso on Thursday 27th May. Representatives from local and international media outlets were present. The event gave Cdre Steve Chick (RN), Commander of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 the opportunity to brief the media on NATO’s counter piracy mission, Operation Ocean Shield. 

NATO Warship makes dramatic rescue of 23 seamen in raging storm
Yesterday the crew from NATO Flagship HMS Chatham made a dramatic rescue of 23 seamen from a merchant vessel off the coast of Somalia. The Royal Navy warship had been busy patrolling the sea area approximately 80 miles west of Socotra as part of NATO’s counter-piracy operation 'Ocean Shield’ when the drama began early morning Thursday 20 May.

HMS Chatham’s Bridge team received a distress call from the Master of MV Dubai Moon, who said that his ship was caught in a tropical storm 90 miles south west of Socotra and struggling to make headway in extremely rough seas and high winds. The warship immediately made best speed towards the merchantman.

As HMS Chatham made her way into the storm, the weather worsened into a tropical cyclone and the situation onboard Dubai Moon became even more perilous. Listing heavily, with her cargo of vehicles crashing around the deck, she drifted ever closer to a small island off the coast. It was only due to the tireless efforts of the Master that she avoided running aground.
The Master and HMS Chatham’s Commanding Officer, Commander Simon Huntington Royal Navy, spoke throughout the night trying to determine the best way to save the vessel. At daybreak on Friday 21 May Dubai Moon dropped her anchors in an attempt to hold her position as by now she was getting ever closer to another, larger island, Jazirat Samhah. Whilst her anchors did not take permanent hold, they prevented her from running aground onto a reef, which she cleared by less than 1000 yards before being pushed offshore by the wind.

As the day wore on the weather improved slightly, presenting HMS Chatham with an opportunity to rescue the crew. In very challenging conditions, the warship launched her Lynx helicopter and, in an operation which lasted for over 3 hours, the 23 seamen were winched by helicopter to safety from the MV Dubai Moon. The relieved seamen were given hot drinks and blankets when they landed onboard HMS Chatham.

Commander Simon Huntington, the Commanding Officer of HMS Chatham said “This rescue was
conducted in the most challenging sea conditions imaginable and I am extremely proud of my
Ship’s Company whose sole focus was to assist the Master and crew of MV Dubai Moon. It was,
without doubt, the professionalism and courage of my sailors and aircrew that ensured this rescue
was a success. The tropical cyclone tested the ship and everyone on board; it is the quality of
our people, equipment and training which has resulted in the Royal Navy saving the lives of fellow
mariners in such demanding circumstances”.

After the rescue, Hassan Madar the Ethiopian Master of the MV Dubai Moon said “Normally we operate close to the coast, but we had to go far out to sea to avoid pirates. That meant we could not find shelter from the storm. If we had not been rescued by the Royal Navy and NATO we would have died with my ship. They were the only people to respond to our distress call; we owe them our lives.”

NATO’s counter piracy flagship, HMS CHATHAM destroyed 2 boats after intercepting a group of suspected pirates in the Somali Basin. Commander Simon Huntington, the Commanding Officer of HMS CHATHAM said “I am extremely pleased that we have again successfully disrupted a suspected Pirate Attack Group operating in the Somali Basin and prevented them from mounting attacks against merchant shipping. This clearly demonstrates NATO’s determination and commitment to continue the fight against piracy in the region. Press release  View pictures

HMS CHATHAM arrived in Dar Es Salam – the largest city in Tanzania on 9 May 2010 for a 5 day port visit. The British Royal Navy frigate is the flagship for NATO’s counter piracy task force, operating under command of Commodore Steve Chick CBE Royal Navy. The code name for NATO’s counter piracy operation is “Ocean Shield”. With a busy schedule planned, the visit presents an excellent opportunity for NATO to exchange views and ideas about how to tackle piracy with the Tanzanian Government and establish informal links with the Tanzanian Navy. The ship will host a reception for 160 civic and military leaders, as well as the diplomatic community on 9 May. A briefing on Maritime Security for 20 members of the shipping industry based in Dar Es Salam will be conducted on 10 May, together with a guided tour for 20 members of the Tanzanian Navy. Commodore Chick will host a lunch for key members of the Government on board on 11 May.

View Pictures

On 30 April 2010 the Commander of NATO's Counter Piracy Task Force operating off Somalia met with a Russian delegation at sea in the Gulf of Aden. Commodore Steve Chick who is embarked in NATO flagship HMS CHATHAM met with Captain Yildar F. Akhmerof, the commander of the Russian Task Group in the region. Accompanying Captain Akhmerof on board HMS CHATHAM was Lt Cdr Andrey S Meschaninov, the Chief Officer for tactical Activites and Lt Dimitriy U Ubogov, an interpreter.

Full Story

International Maritime Bureau praises navies for reducing piracy threat in Gulf of Aden
Thanks to continued international efforts such as NATO’s counter-piracy operation Ocean Shield, pirate attacks around the world dropped by 34 per cent in the first quarter of 2010 compared with a year ago, according to a report published on 21 April by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).The Bureau noted a significant decline in attacks in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, where NATO and other ships patrol. In this area alone, 17 incidents were recorded in the first
three months of 2010 compared with 41 in the same period last year. Despite the decrease in attacks, Somali pirates are expanding their reach from the Gulf of Aden to the coasts of Kenya, Tanzania, the Seychelles, Madagascar and Oman. Somali pirates carried out 35 of the 67 hijackings recorded so far in 2010. NATO sent five ships to the Gulf of Aden in March 2009 as part of its counter piracy mission, Operation Allied Protector. In August 2009, the Alliance approved a new mission, Operation Ocean Shield, which additionally offers states in the area assistance in developing their own capacity to combat piracy activities if they request it.

Turkish warship TCG GELIBOLU destroyed a group of pirate vessels over the weekend 280 miles North East of the Seychelles. The operation marked another success for NATO’s counter-piracy.Operation Ocean Shield, and reflected the close co-operation that exists between the NATO Alliance and other international forces. The pirate gang consisted of 13 pirates, in 3 vessels. As well as weapons, in their boats they carried ladders, used to climb onboard vessels and other piracy related equipment. As the Turkish warship approached, the pirates threw their guns and ladders overboard and claimed they were innocent seafarers – although they were unable to explain what they were doing 820 miles from the Somali coast, with no fishing nets or legal cargo. Press Release

19 crew members from a small Iranian cargo ship, SAAD 1 are now free from their pirate captors after being held for 5 months. Their release followed intervention by the Italian warship ITS Scirocco, one of five NATO warships operating in the region as part of NATO’s counter piracy mission, Operation Ocean Shield. Press Release

A British flagged, Norwegian owned car carrier, MV Tortugas, successfully repelled a pirate attack yesterday afternoon by two pirate skiffs in the Somali  Basin approximately 630 nautical miles south-west of the Seychelles. MV Tortugas was able to prevent the pirates hijacking the vessel because it adopted the recommended best management practices.

Press Release

After busy months on patrol in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin, a task force of NATO warships today handed over their counter-piracy mission, (code-named Operation Ocean Shield) to the new task force of NATO ships which had sailed to the area to take up the mission. Press Release / View Pictures

It was yet another busy night for the Danish warship HDMS ABSALON
in the Somali Basin the night between the 1st and 2nd of March 2010
where the ship again located, intercepted and disposed of two more
whalers” the so called mother skiffs used by pirates as logistic
platforms to transport their attack teams offshore.“These actions
further illustrate that this is a viable and effective way to eliminate
the tools of piracy before they can be brought into play on the high seas,”
said Commodore Christian Rune. Press Release

On Sunday 28 February 2010 the NATO flagship HDMS ABSALON undertook direct action to disrupt the piracy in the Somali Basin by scuttling a pirate mother skiff, one of the large, open boats that pirates use to transport and support their attack teams to offshore hunting areas. The ABSALON is the flagship of NATO’s current counter-piracy operation Ocean Shield off the Horn of Africa. Press Release 

NATO maritime commanders today reiterated the importance of the maritime community adopting the recommended self protection measures to help in the fight against piracy when they sail through the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin. The call comes after two motor vessels came under attack by pirates this week in the Gulf of Aden, with two very different outcomes – one who adopted the self protection measures was able to successfully repel the attack, whilst the other who did not was pirated, and is now being taken to a pirates’ lair off the Somali coast. Press Release

19 Jan 10

NATO meeting with Puntland Coastguard

Admiral Pereira da Cunha, Commander Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, hosted a meeting focused on piracy on board the Portuguese Flagship NRP Alvares Cabral with two Puntland Coastguard officers near Bosaso harbour, Somalia. The meeting was focused on human intelligence gathering, capacity building and counter piracy cooperation between NATO and Puntland authorities. NATO, together with other international actors, has established a close working relationship with the Puntland Coastguard. The idea of this joint cooperation is to enhance the knowledge of the international counter-piracy community, while providing assistance to the Coastguard. (HMS Cornwall and USS Donald Cook has both embarked Coastguard Officers for short periods in the past - and this is proving to be highly successful).

Identifying areas from where pirates may launch their operations is one way to curtail this illegal activity. Once the pirates are at sea in their small skiffs they are difficult to distinguish from honest fisherman, although working closely with our allies it has been possible to develop a profile on who they are. Merchant shipping is now taking more robust methods to avoid capture, including enhanced lookouts, skilled manoeuvring and working with the maritime forces.

It is expected the pirates will renew their efforts but the navies of the world are waiting to take the necessary action to disrupt the nefarious actions of the pirates. NATO, along with the other maritime coalitions, is prepared to act, working under the counter-piracy mission, Operation Ocean Shield. Whilst acknowledging the root cause of piracy is ashore, the pirates are set for a difficult time once they venture back onto the high seas. Working with Somali authorities in support of their own resolve to rid their shores of this scourge has shown early signs of success.

Piracy is crime, pure and simple, and needs to be stopped. Whatever the initial reasons (or excuses) to hold the busy shipping lanes to ransom, the world has shown it is prepared to act. NATO continues to seek other channels through Ocean Shield where it can make a real difference. Working with regional ministers has also proved to be successful, allowing them to discuss the important issues, and then sharing this information with our partners for a coherent response. This is just a start. With 60 years of experience and coalition building, NATO is well placed to make things happen.

View Pictures 

18 Jan 10

Successful refuelling at sea

This weekend saw the first successful refuelling operation between a

Saudi tanker, RSNF KSAS Yunbou and the NATO ship, HMCS Fredericton. The Fredericton is currently part of NATO's Counter Piracy mission, Operation Ocean Shield in the Gulf of Aden. This refuelling is an excellent example of the co-operation and coordination that NATO has with non-NATO countries in the Gulf of Aden. As well as NATO, the EU, the Coalition Maritime Force and other countries such as Saudi Arabia, India and China are in the Gulf of Aden to deter and disrupt pirate activity. 

11 Jan 10

CTF 508 visit Chinese Frigate FFG Chao Hu during NATO Flagship visit to Salalah, Oman

Rear Admiral Jose Domingos Pereira da Cunha, Commander SNMG1 visited the Chinese frigate FFG Chao Hu on 11 January 2010 during a NATO port visit to Salalah, Oman. The meeting focused on cooperation between NATO and the Chinese Navy in the international efforts to tackle piracy off he coast of Somalia. The NATO flagship, NRP Alvares Cabral has been in the Gulf of Aden since November 2009 as part of NATO’s counter piracy mission, Operation Ocean Shield. As well as the Portuguese flagship, there are ships from Canada, HMCS Fredericton and the USA USS Donald Cook.