On Tuesday 10 and Thursday 13 November 2015 Operation Atalanta flagship ITS Carabiniere and FGS Erfurt conducted replenishments at sea (RAS) with USNS Patuxent.

A RAS takes on average two hours to complete and requires careful co-ordination between the ships involved to ensure that the fuel and other stores are transferred safely.

The transfer of fuel enables Operation Atalanta warships to maintain their counter-piracy presence and strengthen maritime security in the region. After refuelling with USNS Patuxent, FGS Erfurt continued with her patrols towards the Gulf of Aden, whilst ITS Carabiniere commenced her participation in the deployment of Fishery Aggregating Devices (FADs) off the Somali Coast. The FAD deployment is an UN initiative to help develop/enhance fishing grounds off the coast of Somalia for the Somali people.