On Friday 12 February the EU NAVFOR Somalia Force Commander, Rear Admiral Barbieri, awarded the Operation Atalanta Medal to the multinational staff members embarked onboard the flagship, ITS Carabiniere.

Officers and Petty Officers from 10 EU Member States received the medal during a ceremony held on the Italian warship’s flight deck. They have spent 20 weeks at sea on the counter-piracy operation.

“Be proud of this medal,” the Force Commander said to his staff, “it is recognition of your outstanding commitment, professionalism and efforts; you have truly contributed to the mission’s aim of strengthening maritime security in this wide and strategically significant sea area.”