Atalanta Mission News

Since April 2013, the Jeanne d'Arc group, composed of the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) Tonnerre, the Antisubmarine Frigate (ASF) Georges Leygues, the Light Surveillance Frigate (LSF) Nivôse, and the Off-Shore Patrol Vessel (OSV) Adroitare, have been engaged in the European operation against piracy christened Atalanta. The French ships and the four Swedish, German, Spanish and Dutch ships are deployed under the authority of European military staff aboard the Portuguese Guided Missile Frigate NRP Alvares Cabral.

Swiss shipping operators confirm they employ armed security guards to protect their ships off Somalia & Gulf of Aden. Landlocked Switzerland plays a surprisingly prominent role in the commercial shipping scene. The Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Company operates 422 vessels, accounting for 10.8 per cent of global shipping container capacity. Three years ago Swiss parliament voted not to take part in a European Union-sponsored security operation, called the Atalanta mission, designed to protect shipping, crews and cargo from increasing attacks by pirates in crucial commercial sea lanes, reports 'SwissInfo'. This decision did not affect the rights of ship owners and operators from hiring their own private security guards…

On 13 January 2011, Rear Admiral Thomas J. Ernst (German Navy) handed over the responsibility of Deputy Operation Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia, Operation ATALANTA to Rear Admiral Guido Rando (Italian Navy). The handover was conducted in the Operation Headquarters in Northwood, near London. Rear Admiral Ernst, who joined the operation in June 2010, has played an important part in the continued success of EU NAVFOR and the execution of the Operation ATALANTA mission.

On 14 June 2010, Rear Admiral Hudson Peter Hudson CBE handed over the responsibility of Operation Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia, Op ATALANTA to Major General Buster Howes OBE. The handover was conducted in the Operational Headquarters in Northwood near London. Rear Admiral Hudson, who joined the operation in June 2009, has been instrumental in the ongoing success of EU NAVFOR and the execution of the Op ATALANTA mission. Rear Admiral Hudson leaves EU NAVFOR to continue his appointment as Commander United Kingdom Maritime Force (COMUKMARFOR) in Portsmouth.