THE European Council, the EU body made up of heads of state or government, and charged with setting political direction and priorities, has decided to extended the anti-pirate EU Navfor Somali operation until December 31, 2020
THE European Council, the EU body made up of heads of state or government, and charged with setting political direction and priorities, has decided to extended the anti-pirate EU Navfor Somali operation until December 31, 2020. EU Navfor Operation Atalanta's objectives are deterrence, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast and the protection of the World Food Programme (WFP) and other vulnerable shipping, fishing activities and EU missions and programmes in the region.
'The naval presence of the EU Navfor Operation Atalanta and the co-operation with other international forces, has contributed to the decrease in piracy attacks in this region,' said European Shipowners' Association secretary general Martin Dorsman.
The number of attacks off the Somalian coast has decreased from 176 in 2011 to nine in 2017, while no incident was reported during the second quarter of this year, reported London's Tanker Operator.
Meanwhile in Asia, ReCP reported seven confirmed incidents last month of armed robbery against ships. Compared to June, there was an increase in the number of incidents, as only one incident was reported in the previous month.
Of the seven incidents reported in July, two occurred on board ships while underway and five incidents on board ships at anchor/berth.
