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Lithuanians on board WFP ships

(B2) A Lithuanian Ship Protection Detachment (VPD) currently provides protection within the EU naval force in the Indian Ocean against piracy for the World Food Program (WFP) ship, the MV Esbjerg. They took over from the Serbian team.

Since the start of Operation EUNAVFOR Atalanta in 2008, the EU Naval Force has started to provide protection for more than 400 WFP ships, which have delivered more than 1,5 million tonnes of aid food to Somalis. The technique of autonomous ship protection detachments has been in place since 2010 and has proven its effectiveness.

It allows, in fact, with rather limited means (a dozen men) to ensure the protection of ships. It also allows many EU countries (especially the Baltic countries) and outside countries (Serbia, Montenegro, etc.), which do not automatically have significant maritime resources (or even no navy at all), to participate in a active in the European anti-piracy operation.

(NGV)

Sierra Leone allows crews on board its boats

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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