Ten Malagasy naval officers carried out counter-piracy training on board of the patrol ship Infanta Cristina during her recent visit to Diego Suarez.

The training demonstrated how the EU Naval Force communications system called Mercury is used to exchange information with naval forces and merchant ships about suspected pirate activities in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

The training is part of the EU’s Comprehensive Approach that is helping to enhance maritime security and capabilities of regional states.  The experience was ideally suited to the Malagasy naval officers due to the impending setup of the Indian Ocean  Maritime Information Centre in the capital, Anatananarivo.

SPS Infanta Cristina belongs to EUROMARFOR Task Group integrated in EUNAVFOR Task Force for Atalanta Operation.