Rear Admiral Hank Ort News

The Promostudi Foundation and the NATO Centre for Maritime Research & Experimentation (CMRE) today finalized a three-year maritime research and development agreement. The agreement between the two organizations, both based in La Spezia, Italy, includes agreements on joint innovation activities, research in the maritime environment  and reciprocal exchange for educational and scientific purposes, both nationally and internationally. In particular, opportunities will be developed for cooperation in issues of common interest such as robotics, underwater acoustics, underwater systems, and more generally in systems engineering and ICT (information and communication technologies).

In the last few days the number of pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia has increased highlighting the fact that now the monsoon is weakening, the pirates are once again ready to attack merchant ships transiting through the Indian Ocean. MC Northwood's Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Hank Ort (NLD N) states, "in the last few years, it has been the case that come October when the South West monsoon weakens, the pirates have been able to put to sea and we have seen the number of attacks on merchant vessels increase.