The German frigate FGS KOELN, participating in European Union Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta, has recently escorted M/V CAROLINE SCAN to the Kenyan port Mombasa. The ship is chartered by the World Food Programme and will be loaded with urgently needed food for the people in Somalia. Additionally a German Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) was embarked on the merchant vessel during the escort and optimized therefore the safety of CAROLINE SCAN.
During the escort frigate KOELN was supported by an Luxembourg Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA). The main tasks of the aircraft are to perform surface search and scan to locate designated or suspected pirate vessels, mother ships or skiffs and to help build the Recognized Maritime Picture (RMP). The Fairchild SW 3A Merlin aircraft, equipped with a comprehensive suite of sensors and inherent flexibility and speed has also been used to assist vessels under pirate attack in coordination with other assets, such as EU NAVFOR helicopters and warships.
EUNAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main aims are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Additionally, EUNAVFOR also protects vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, deters and disrupts piracy and monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.
[mappress] Source: eunavfor, October 19, 2011