EU Naval Force flagship FS Marne and RFA Fort Victoria, flagship of the Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151) – part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) rendezvoused off the Omani coast on 18 April. EU Force Commander Rear Admiral Dupuis welcomed his Thaï counterpart, Rear Admiral Tanin Likitawong, on board the Marne.
The EU Naval Force, CTF 151, NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield, together with independent national units such as China, India, Japan, Russia are all committed to fighting the scourge of piracy off the Somali coast. Information exchange and coordination is paramount amongst the different navies to ensure maximum effect for the fight against piracy.
In addition to constant dialogue, face-to-face meetings are vital to ensure seamless coordination in the allocation of assets and roles in a vast area of operation. During their meeting, the two Force Commanders welcomed the on-going cooperation between their two task forces and discussed the current situation off Somalia
[mappress] Naval Today Staff , April 20, 2012; Image: eunavfor