On Wednesday 10 February 2016, the Force Commander of Operation Atalanta  and Commander of EUROMARFOR Task Group, Rear Admiral Stefano Barbieri, welcomed to ITS Carabiniere Captain Khyber Zaman, the Commanding Officer of PNS Saif.

The Italian warship has been deployed with the European Union’s counter-piracy operation in the Indian Ocean since October 2015 and boasts 199 crew, as well as an embarked headquarters.

With a small delegation, Captain Zaman boarded the Operation Atalanta flagship after the two ships had conducted joint exercises, including close-quarters manoeuvres and helicopter landings.

PNS Saif is currently attached to Combined Task Force 151, a counter-piracy naval force operating in the Indian Ocean.

Rear Admiral Barbieri said:  “We are both striving to fight piracy and improve the security of maritime routes in the Indian Ocean.”

After a tour of the ship and a briefing on Operation Atalanta’s recent activities, he added: “We are very keen to increase coordination and cooperation with our Pakistan Navy partners.”

The delegation left the European Union flagship in the early afternoon, whereupon both ships resumed their counter-piracy patrols.