Latest piracy news (December 15, 2012). The hour of succession has come...
(BRUSSELS2, on the way to Djibouti) Before Christmas, it is the period of staff rotations, with the change of command in most of the anti-piracy coalition forces, the return of ships already engaged in their respective countries, so that they can be there for Christmas or the arrival of their relief...
Le ROS Regele Ferdinand back home
Romanian frigate ROS King Ferdinand of Romania (F-221) which was taking part in the European anti-piracy operation (Eunavfor Atalanta) arrived Friday (December 14) in Constanza, its home port on the Black Sea. On the way back from Somalia, he made a stopover in Haifa in Israel. It was the first time that a Romanian building took part in the European force EUNavfor. Arrived in the Gulf of Aden transit corridor on October 3, he, among other things, escorted a World Food Program ship, led seven "friendly" approaches to Somali fishing communities and stopped a suspected boat on November 22. by arresting 9 pirates. Note that the King Ferdinand of Romania was formerly a British ship, the HMS Conventry, type 22, which was decommissioned in 2002 from the Royal Navy and sold to the Romanian fleet, after being refurbished by BAE Systems as the London (her sister ship renamed Regina Maria) at the end of a rather disputed contract since it gave rise to suspicions of bribes (read here).
An Italian takes control of Ocean Shield
Rear Admiral Antonio Natale has replaced his Dutch counterpart Ben Bekkering as head of NATO's anti-piracy operation. Arrived in Djibouti on December 7, he will spend a few days in port before setting sail. Rear Admiral Bekkering had been in the area for 6 months.
The mothership Wave Ruler leaves the Somali coast
The supply ship of the Royal Auxiliary Fleet (RFA) Wave Ruler also returned to the UK. He will have spent 6 months and traveled 18.000 nautical miles in the Gulf of Aden under the US Military Sealift Command (MSC) and transferred more than 14.000 tons of fuel to allied ships. Based in Manama, Bahrain, Rear Admiral Robert Gonzales and his crew also provided food reserves and all kinds of necessary provisions.
Le Dupleix is done with his participation in Atalante
On December 3, 2012, the French frigate "Dupleix" lowered the European flag which symbolized its participation in the Atalante mission. During the 31 days spent in the International Transit Corridor, the frigate and its Lynx helicopter will have conducted six "friendly" approaches, including that aboard the dhow "Al Fahad" to provide technical and medical assistance.
Turkish handover to Pakistan for command of CTF151
Rear Admiral Oguz Karaman has given way to Commodore Muhammad Hisham of the Pakistan Navy as head of NATO's Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 anti-piracy. The ceremony took place aboard the Turkish ship TCG Gemlik on December 13. "My priorities will be the deterrence and interception of piracy, missions for which I will need the continued support of the Combined Maritime Force Headquarters. My goal will also be to engage positively with regional leadership for which a plan of key leadership meetings is in the works.“, declared the new commander during the ceremony. It should be noted that it was the third time that Turkey assumed command of CTF 151 since its arrival in 2009.
Failed attempt to free Mv Iceberg 1 hostages
Tanit: decision on the Assize Court in January
The Rennes Court of Appeal will confirm, or not, on January 18, the referral to the Assize Court of the three Somali pirates arrested by French forces during the release of the yacht Tanit in April 2009. The three men are being prosecuted for " aggravated arrest and forcible confinement" and "aggravated hijacking". Two of the suspects had appealed against the judge's order issued on September 20, according to Ouest-France. One of the three suspects was recently released under judicial supervision.
(with D. Kerlouet in Brussels)
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