On the 30th June, the EU Naval Force flagship’s ESPS “Galicia” completed a 10 hours port visit to Djibouti for logistics and personnel change-over. The Force Commander and COMGRUEUROMARFOR, Rear Admiral Alfonso Gómez Fernández de Córdoba and a delegation from his multi-national Force Headquarters visited some authorities based in Djibouti.

Admiral Alfonso Gómez took the opportunity to meet the Support Element of Operation Atalanta (SEA), and both the Spanish and German Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) teams, who are both located in French Djibouti Air base. He also met the General Philippe Montoccio.

The Force Commander seized the visit to express his gratitude for the professionalism, effort and dedication of all the crewmembers in the Spanish “Orion” detachment since the beginning of the Operation Atalanta back in 2008.

During his visit, Rear Admiral Alfonso Gómez was briefed on the role of the Orion Detachment as part of the European Union’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta off the coast of Somalia, and about the capabilities of the D-4 aircraft.

As well, he dismissed the German detachment leaded by Commander Rainner Bormann that will end its mission in the operation Atalanta on the 1st July. He also congratulated the German crewmembers for their work during the last months and thanked them for their commitment to the Operation Atalanta.

The MPRAs are a vital asset, enabling the EU Naval Force to gather essential intelligence information to guide the operations. 

Meanwhile his short period in Djibouti, the Force Commander also visited the EUCAP Nestor delegation in Djibouti. During the visit they discussed about the EUNAVFOR and EUROMARFOR coming activities to coordinate with the sister EU mission in the area, EUCAP Nestor, as part of the EU’s comprehensive approach to the Horn of Africa.

EUROMARFOR Flagship ESPS “Galicia” crossed at the Port of Djibouti with the ESPS “Infanta Cristina” as she was heading home after their time in the operation Atalanta. The Force Commander spoke with the Commanding Officer of the Spanish ship via VHF thanked him and his crew for the extraordinary work performed during the last 4 months.

With this visit to the EUROMARFOR units in Djibouti, the Force Commander has met every unit of the Operation Atalanta under his command. ESPS flagship “Galicia” Continues with her Baseline Counter Piracy mission in the International Recommended Transit Corridor in the Gulf of Aden.