Naval operations

Naval operations to counter piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia operate under the authority of the United Nations Security Council. Since 2008, the Security Council has passed a number of Resolutions authorising military operations, the most recent of which is UNSCR 1950.

Operation Atalanta

In response to rising numbers of pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden, the European Union established its first maritime task force in December 2008. Under the operation name Atalanta, the EU Naval Force aims to:

• protect vessels of the World Food Programme delivering food aid to displaced persons in Somalia;  
• protect vulnerable vessels off the Somali coast, and deter, prevent and repress acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast; and
• contribute to the monitoring of fishing activities off the coast of Somalia.

26 nations have contributed to the operation, either through the deployment of warships and aircraft, or by assigning personnel to the headquarters (in Northwood, UK) and other elements of the of the operation’s staff.

The current mandate of Operation Atalanta will expire in December 2012.

Operation Ocean Shield

NATO's involvement in counter-piracy began in October 2008 when UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked NATO to provide escorts to UN World Food Programme vessels transiting through the sea surrounding the Horn of Africa. Utilising the existing Standing NATO Maritime Groups, NATO initially launched Operation Allied Provider and subsequently Operation Allied Protector, before establishing the specific counter piracy operation Ocean Shield.

Command of the Force periodically rotates amongst NATO nations. Ocean Shield is commanded by the Maritime Component Command in Northwood, UK.

Combined Task Force 151

Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 is a multinational task force established to conduct counter piracy operations throughout the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) area of responsibility. Their mission is to actively deter, disrupt and suppress piracy in order to protect global maritime security and secure freedom of navigation for the benefit of all nations.

The task force works in close co-operation with other naval forces engaged in anti-piracy operations in the area.

This area is vital to world trade and includes the main shipping routes from the Far East and Middle East to Europe and the US with more than 40,000 shipping movements, including over one third of the world’s oil passing through each year.

Independent Navies

The navies of other nations not part of the coalition forces above also conduct counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.  They include China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Russia and others.  These independent navies frequently convoy merchant shipping through the Internationally Recognised Transit Corridor and the Government and Royal Navy work closely with them to ensure as much merchant shipping is protected as possible.

UK Maritime Trade Operation

Based in the British Embassy in Dubai, the Royal Navy runs a 24-hour reporting centre to enable swift communication between merchant shipping and naval forces in the event of an attack or suspicious activity.  Best Management Practice recommends all shipping in the area to report into UKMTO to receive latest information.  The UKMTO receives over 1,000 emails per day as well as telephone calls from mariners in the region.  They also visit ships in the nearby ports of Jebel Ali and Fujairah to brief Masters and ensure shipping has as much up-to-date information as possible.

Shared Awareness and Deconfliction

At any given time there can be around 30 warships conducting counter-piracy operations.  To ensure the task forces work as effectively as possible together, the Combined Maritime Forces and EUNAVFOR established.