• World
  • Jun 19

Explainer / European Union Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR)

• India and three European nations began a two-day naval wargame in the Gulf of Aden on June 18 with a larger aim of improving operational interoperability and promote, peace, security and stability in the key waterways.

• Five warships from the four navies are participating in the EU NAVFOR joint naval exercise featuring advanced air defence and anti-submarine drills, cross deck helicopter operations, tactical manoeuvres and search and rescue missions.

• European Union Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR) - Operation Atalanta is the EU’s counter-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia.

• The Indian Navy has deployed its warship INS Trikand, which is mainly deployed for anti-piracy operations, for the exercise. 

• The other warships are Italian Navy ship ITS Carabinere, Spanish ship ESPS Navarra, and two French Navy ships FS Tonnerre and FS Surcouf.

• The two-day exercise will see high tempo-naval operations at sea, including advanced air defence and anti-submarine exercises, cross deck helicopter operations, tactical manoeuvres, boarding operations, underway replenishment, search and rescue and other maritime security operations.

• The four navies will endeavour to enhance and hone their war-fighting skills and ability to operate as an integrated force to promote peace, security and stability in the maritime domain. 

• A virtual ‘Information Sharing Exercise’ is also being conducted between the Indian Navy Information Fusion Centre — Indian Ocean Region, and Maritime Security Centre-Horn of Africa.

• The EU NAVFOR and the Indian Navy have been working together on multiple areas including counter-piracy operations and protection of vessels deployed under the charter of the World Food Programme (UN WFP). 

• Indian Navy and EU NAVFOR have regular interactions through SHADE (Shared Awareness and Deconfliction) meetings held annually at Bahrain.

What is EU NAVFOR?

• The European Union Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR) - Operation Atalanta was launched on December 8, 2008 in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions to deter, prevent and repress piracy and to protect vulnerable vessels and humanitarian shipments off the coast of Somalia. 

• Since its inception in 2008, the mandate of Operation Atalanta has constantly been adapted to reflect the situation at sea and support the EU Integrated Approach to Somalia and the Horn of Africa.

• The European Union was concerned with the Somali-based piracy and armed robbery at sea off the Horn of Africa and in the Western Indian Ocean. Somali based piracy is characterised by criminals taking control of vessels transiting the High Risk Area in the Region and extorting ransom money for the crew, the vessel and cargo.

• Crews held hostage by pirates often face a prolonged period of captivity, the average being 5 months (145 days) but some hostages have been held for almost three years (1001 days). Moreover, piracy impacts on international trade and maritime security and on the economic activities and security of countries in the region.

• At the height of Somali piracy in January 2011, as many as 736 hostages and 32 ships were being held by pirates.

• The operational headquarters of EU NAVFOR Somalia is located in Rota (Spain). 

• Through its organic Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa – MSCHOA, located in Brest (France), the operation maintains a close relationship with the shipping industry, provides advice and assistance to seafarers and monitors vessels operating in the Indian Ocean, thus enabling a military response in concert with UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and international military actors to piracy events.

• EU NAVFOR operates in an Area of Operations covering the Southern Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and a large part of the Indian Ocean, including the Seychelles, Mauritius and Comoros. 

• The area of operations also includes the Somali coastal territory, as well as its territorial and internal waters.

Its tasks include:

• Protect vessels of the World Food Programme (UN WFP) and other vulnerable vessels.

• Deter, prevent and repress piracy and armed robbery at sea. 

• Monitor fishing activities off the coast of Somalia.

• Monitor arms and drug trafficking, illicit charcoal trade and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

• Contribute to the enforcement of the weapons embargo on Somalia and counter drug trafficking.

• In addition to EU NAVFOR units, a considerable international military maritime presence is deployed in the area, comprising the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and independent national units from countries such as China, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and others – all committed to counter-piracy, but with varying mandates and mission objectives.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store

Notes