SUPREME
HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE
ALLIED COMMAND
OPERATIONS
NEWS
RELEASE
Standing
NATO Maritime Group transits Suez
Canal
en-route to anti-piracy duties
15
October 2008
Mons,
Belgium — Seven
ships, from six NATO navies, transit the Suez
Canal today, on
their way to conduct both anti-piracy duties and visit NATO partner nations in
the Gulf region.
In response to a UN request, NATO defence ministers
last week authorised NATO naval vessels to help protect World Food Programme
ships carrying desperately needed supplies to conflict-ridden
Somalia. This
Alliance presence
will also help to deter acts of piracy that continue to threaten the
region.
Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) already was scheduled to
conduct a series of Gulf port visits and will take on the anti-piracy role off
the coast of Somalia.
Given the very short-notice, details of how the group will conduct the
anti-piracy mission and also carry out port visits are still being
finalised.
SNMG2 is scheduled to visit partners of the Istanbul
Cooperation Initiative in Bahrain,
Kuwait,
Qatar and the
United
Arab Emirates.
General
John Craddock, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said, “The threat of piracy is real and
growing in many parts of the world today, and this response is a good
illustration of NATO's ability to adapt quickly to new security
challenges."
SNMG2
currently comprises ships from Germany,
Greece,
Italy,
Turkey,
United
Kingdom and
United
States. Command
of SNMG2 is assumed on rotation by contributing nations and currently is Rear
Admiral Giovanni Gumiero, Italian Navy. SNMG2 currently
comprises:
• ITS
Durand de la Penne (flagship, destroyer D560, Italy)
• FGS Karlsruhe (frigate
F212, Germany)
• FGS Rhön (auxiliary A1443, Germany)
• HS
Themistokles (frigate F465, Greece)
• TCG Gokova (frigate G496, Turkey)
•
HMS Cumberland (frigate F85, United Kingdom)
• USS The Sullivans (destroyer
DDG 68, USA)
As NATO's anti-piracy effort is formalised, the Alliance
will continue to coordinate its assistance with the World Food Program, the
European Union and the US Led Operation Enduring Freedom who are all involved in
this humanitarian and security effort.
-
END TEXT -
Notes to
editors:
Information about SNMG2 is available
at the web page:
http://www.jfcnaples.nato.int/FACTSHEETS/snmg2.htm
Information about ICI is available
at web page: http://www.nato.int/ici/home.htm
Contact Information for Allied
Command Operations Public Affairs Office at
SHAPE:
Tel: +32 (0)65 44 4119
Mobile: 0032 (0) 475 77 31
05
Email: shape.pao@shape.nato.int
PHOTO
CAPTION:
HMCS
Ville de Québec, an SNMG1 ship, was
re-routed by the Government of Canada on Aug. 5, to escort World Food Programme
ships off the coast of Somalia. Here Ville de Québec is escorting the
merchant vessel Abdul Rahman and her load of World Food Programme maize and soya
meal from Mombasa,
Kenya,
to Mogadishu,
Somalia.
SNMG2
will be escorting WFP ships as part of its anti-piracy
mandate.
Photo
Credit:
Canadian Forces Image number IS2008-3248 by MCpl Kevin
Paul