Offshore Patrol Vessel ESPS “Meteoro” joined EUROMARFOR Task Group in Operation Atalanta on September 1st, after three weeks of transit from her home port in Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain).

EUROMARFOR Task Group integrates now ESPS Castilla (flagship), ITS Libeccio and ESPS Meteoro.

ESPS “Meteoro”, under command of LTCDR José Almira, has been preparing this deployment since February, when she started her intensive training program, focused on the operation. After that, she performed some maritime surveillance tasks and prepared all the logistic aspects for the mission.

From September to November, she will perform duties integrated in the EU Task Force 465, sharing all the aims of the mission, including WFP/AMISOM chartered vessels escort and counter-piracy tasks as the main ones. This kind of tasks has proven to be highly effective, as piracy has been reduced drastically since Atalanta started.

This ship is the first of this class of ships, named after her. This will be the second time that ESPS “Meteoro” works hand to hand with the rest of partners of the European Union in this mission, as she was integrated in Operation Atalanta two years ago as a part of the effort of Spain in fighting piracy in Somalia and his commitment in making that part of the world a safer place, which will report stability and benefits for the rest of the world.