Operation Ocean Shield
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All 2009 News Articles can be found
in 2009
Operation Ocean Shield News Articles
Operation Ocean Shield, NATO’s contribution to international efforts to
combat piracy off the Horn of Africa, commenced 17 August 2009 after the
North Atlantic Council (NAC) approved the mission. Operation Ocean
Shield builds on the experience gained during Operation Allied
Protector, NATOs’ previous counter-piracy mission, and develops a
distinctive NATO role based on the broad strength of the Alliance by
adopting a more comprehensive approach to counter-piracy efforts.
While at-sea counter-piracy operations will continue to be the focus, a
new element of regional-state counter-piracy capacity building has been
developed for Operation Ocean Shield. NATO’s capacity building effort
will aim to assist regional states, upon their request, in developing
their own ability to combat piracy activities. This element of the
operation is designed to complement the efforts of existing
international organisations and forces operating in the area and will
contribute to a lasting maritime security solution off the Horn of
Africa.
08 Feb 10
NATO Warship HDMS Absalon disrupts piracy again
On
Sunday 7th February 2010 Danish warship HDMS Absalon who is part of
NATO’s counter-piracy Operation Ocean Shield once again disrupted piracy
in the Gulf of Aden. During the night HDMS Absalon located a suspicious
‘contact’ on radar. By using the ship’s sensors the contact was
identified as a fast moving open boat with eight men onboard – a typical
indication of a pirate skiff.
Press Release /
View Pictures
08 Feb 10
NATO Commander meets Task Force counterpart in Gulf of Aden
Yesterday,
Commodore Christian Rune, commander of the NATO Task Force operating in
the counter piracy mission Operation Ocean Shield, met with the Republic
of Singapore Rear Admiral Bernard Miranda. He is commander of the
Combined Task Force 151 who are also involved in a counter piracy
mission. The meeting took place on board the NATO flagship, HDMS Absalon.
Press Release
05 Feb 10
NATO warship HDMS Absalon saves ship from pirate attack
Danish warship HDMS Absalon, who is part of NATO’S counter piracy
operation in the Gulf of Aden today rescued the cargo ship MV Ariella
which came under attack by pirates. The master of the Ariella had sent
out a may-day call that pirates, armed with guns had boarded his ship
and he needed urgent assistance. The crew had managed to lock themselves
away in a saferoom, enabling the NATO warship to send a team of
specially trained forces to board the ship and regain control.
Press Release
05 Feb 10
NATO promotes best practice to Maritime Shipping in fight
against piracy
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
05 Feb 10
NATO Warship HMS Chatham comes to the rescue of Yemeni Fishermen
Today
Royal Navy warship HMS Chatham, who is part of NATO’s counter piracy
operation OCEAN SHIELD came to the rescue of Yemeni fishermen who were
found adrift in the Gulf of Aden.
The Dhow, with 21 Yemeni fishermen on board was spotted drifting in the
middle of the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) in the
Gulf of Aden. HMS Chatham dispatched her Royal Marines Boarding Team to
the Dhow to investigate further.
Press Release
01 Feb 10
NATO warship HDMS ABSALON assists Indian Cargo Ship after pirate
attack
Danish warship HDMS Absalon, who is part of NATO’s Operation
Ocean Shield, today rendered assistance to an Indian flagged
cargo ship (known as a dhow). The dhow “Faize Osamani” and her
crew of 12 had been taken by Somali pirates with the intention
of using her as a mother-ship to mount further attacks against maritime
shipping.
Press Release
01 Feb 10
Royal Navy warship HMS CHATHAM arrives in the Gulf of Aden for
Counter Piracy Operations
Royal
Navy warship HMS Chatham has arrived in the Gulf of Aden to take part in
NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield the code name for NATO’s counter piracy
mission off the Horn of Africa and into the Somali Basin. Along with
other
multinational Task Groups and warships in the area, HMS CHATHAM
will help to protect the merchant ships, many of which bring goods
in to the UK, as they transit this busy sea area.
Press Release
28 Jan 10
NATO Warship HMCS Fredericton intercepts suspected pirates in
the Gulf of Aden
Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship HMCS Fredericton intercepted a suspected
pirate skiff today while conducting counter piracy patrols as part of
NATO Operation OCEAN SHIELD in the Gulf of Aden. At 07:44 a.m. local
time (10:44 p.m. EST), HMCS Fredericton received reports from her
helicopter during aerial patrols in the International Recommended
Transit Corridor (IRTC) that they had spotted a small skiff loitering
beside the shipping corridor approximately 45 nautical miles away from
the ship.
Press Release
25 Jan 10
The Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) operational
Handover in
Muscat
The
Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) operational handover took place
this afternoon in Muscat (Oman), where the outgoing Commander, Rear
Admiral Pereira da Cunha, Portuguese Navy handed over Command to
Commodore Christian Rune, Royal Danish Navy. Today’s handover also
marked the change of command for NATO’s counter piracy operation Ocean
Shield from Portugal to Denmark..
Press Release /
View Pictures
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
activit
y.
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.
View Pictures