NATO's Operation Ocean Shield to suppress piracy to acceptable levels

NATO's Operation Ocean Shield to combat piracy off the Horn of Africa "in conjunction with other actors and organisations", is now underway and is designed to suppress piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Somali Basin to an "acceptable level".

The operation will continue "until the regional states develop and effectively employ sufficient capacity to assume the counter piracy mission from NATO, or the root causes of piracy off the Horn of Africa are eliminated", said the NATO statement.

"NATO's capacity building effort will aim to assist regional states, upon their request, in developing their own ability to combat piracy activities. This element of the operation is designed to complement existing international efforts and will contribute to a lasting maritime security solution off the Horn of Africa," said the statement.

"The NATO Shipping Centre [NSC] will engage with the maritime community promote increased awareness of schemes to improve the security of commercial shipping and encourage the use of onboard anti-piracy measures to defend against possible pirate attack.

"Information sharing is key to success and the NSC, as an information hub in its communications with the maritime community as well as with other organisations (eg, Intertanko, Intercargo, BIMCO, IMB, IMO, UN WFP), will establish and maintain a dialogue with these maritime community stakeholders," said the NATO statement.

"This will be conducted in close cooperation with the other main military actors in the region such as: EU NAVFOR; UK Maritime trade Organisation (UK MTO, Dubai); Maritime Liaison Office (MARLO, Bahrain) and individual nations. Keeping close liaisons with all organisations and with the maritime community will also enable the NSC to monitor developments and implementation of new initiatives (such as maritime security measures) and provide advice.

"The NSC invites the international shipping community to contact us to give us any inputs and comments related to the ongoing military counter piracy efforts in the region. This may help us identify new and/or improved initiatives to disrupt piracy. We will make sure all new initiatives will be discussed and coordinated together with the EU, CMF and other military actors in the area," NATO said.

Source: Schednet