EUROMARFOR flag flaunted under water, at sea, by divers of the Portuguese Navy embarked on board of the corvette Baptista de Andrade, under the command of LtCdr Santos Serafim.

BZ for the picture!

EUROMARFOR ships and NATO ships leaving Alicante for the final phase of the SP MINEX 15.

In the second week the intention is to clean an area from mines and other danger artifacts, always with pressure done by an opposite force. At the 3rd day the area will be granted as cleaned and then the main goal of this exercise will be achieved.

New pictures in the gallery: http://www.euromarfor.org/gallery.emf.php?id=12

EUROMARFOR ships participating in SP MINEX 15 arrived in Alicante to prepare the following week.

ITS Grecale after a patrol task against piracy activity of two weeks was the first Italian ship to dock at Port of Duqm as part of the close maritime cooperation between the two countries.

ITS Grecale, in the area with the European Maritime Force, reached Duqm port on May 23 and left harbour on May 25.

In the first week at sea the ships and crews had the opportunity to improve skills and work together. In this photo, aboard the corvette Baptista de Andrade, we can see the end of a great team work done by Portuguese and Spanish divers, marines and sailors.

The gallery of photos of the 20th anniversary of EUROMARFOR has been updated with new photos, take a look:

http://www.euromarfor.org/gallery.emf.php?id=15

Congratulations to the Portuguese Navy that celebrates this day as Navy Day (20^th of May refers to the discovery of the sea route to India by Vasco da Gama).

On 17 May 2015, during a counter-piracy patrol in the Arabian Sea, EU Naval Force warship, ITS Grecale, came to the assistance of a tug after it had put out a SOS distress call. The tug had developed engine failure whilst en route from the UAE to Somalia and was drifting in open waters.

The Spanish exercise SP MINEX started on 15 May and will end on 28 May 2015. In this exercise there are ships from EUROMARFOR (France, Italy, Portugal and Spain) and also from Germany and Turkey.

Speech of VA. Admiral Santiago BOLÍBAR PIÑEIRO (Spanish Navy), as Operational Commander of EUROMARFOR, by the ocasion of the 20^th Anniversary of EUROMARFOR, where a TASK GROUP was activated for Spanish Minex 15.

Cartagena, May 15, 2015.

EUROMARFOR celebrated the 20th Anniversary on 15 May 2015, in Cartegana. At the ocasion, one Task Group of EUROMARFOR was activated to participate in the exercise SPANISH MINEX 15. 

Ships of France, Italy, Portugal and Spain in Cartagena by the occasion of the 20^th Anniversary of EUROMARFOR. These ships are integrating a Task Group of EUROMARFOR that is going to participate in Spanish Exercise SP MINEX 15.

European Maritime Force (EUROMARFOR) celebrated her twenty anniversary on the 15 MAY2015 in Cartagena.

Italian Navy’s Maestrale class frigate, Grecale F571, recently completed its 44th friendly approach as part of EU Operation Atalanta.

The vessel approached a Yemeni dhow on May 3 to strengthen friendly ties and exchange information.

ITS Grecale joined Operation Atalanta on February 17 and since conducted operations in Somali waters, the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa.

The Spanish Minister of Defence, Mr Pedro Morenés, was the guest of honour during Operation Atalanta’s Force Headquarters Change of Command ceremony that was held on board Dutch flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt, on Wednesday 6 May 2015 in Djibouti.

On Wednesday 6 May 2015 Rear Admiral Alfonso Gómez from the Spanish Navy, assumed command of EUROMARFOR Task Group (COMGRUEUROMARFOR) and also Operation Atalanta Force Commander, during a ceremony held in Djibouti.

On Friday 13 February 2015 ended one more deployment of EUROMARFOR in the Operation Atalanta.

During her recent port visit to the Seychelles the EUROMARFOR warship integrated in the EU Naval Force, ESPS Rayo, welcomed on board the Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Mr Maciej Popowski.

On Sunday 7 February 2015, the EUROMARFOR Flagship (and also EU Naval Force counter-piracy flagship), ITS Andrea Doria, provided urgent medical assistance to an injured seafarer, who had suffered a serious burns injury whilst at sea in his cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden.

During her visit to Port Victoria, Seychelles, EUROMARFOR warship ESPS Rayo hosted the Deputy Commander of Operation Atalanta, Rear Admiral Paolo Pezzutti.

On Friday 6 February, during her visit to Port Victoria, Seychelles, EUROMARFOR warship integrated in EU Naval Force, ESPS Rayo, conducted Local Maritime Training. This was in support of the EU maritime capacity building mission and in coordination with EUCAP Nestor.