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.