NATO forces in the Gulf of Aden prepare for an increase of pirate activities

DDI recently reported that NATO forces operating in the Gulf of Aden are expecting a spurt in the pirate activities in the region with the improvement of weather conditions and have launched...

'Operation Ocean Shield' to counter the menace for which countries like India have deployed their warships.

"We are expecting a spurt in the incidents of piracy in the next two months as the weather conditions improve after the monsoon. We have already deployed our navy ships there to provide security to over 50,000 vessels that pass through that area," North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's Maritime Component Command's Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Commodore Hans Christian Hellseth told visiting Indian journalists.

Except for a few sporadic incidents, not much pirate activity has taken place in the last two months in the Gulf of Aden.

India, Russia, China and Japan have also deployed their ships in the Gulf of Aden to ensure the safe passage of their ships.

Hellseth said NATO will continue to deploy two of its standing NATO Maritime Groups in the region on a rotation basis for providing security to all the ships passing through the region along with the naval elements deployed under the European Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) and the US-led Counter piracy task forces 150 and 151.

In view of the likely upscaling in efforts by pirates, the EU has also extended the deployment of its 12 ships under Operation Atalanta till December 2010.

"The Operation Atalanta was launched in August 2008 and we have the highest number of ships there. Due to an expected increase in the pirates activities, we have extended the operations by December next year," EUNAVFOR's Commander Mike Jager said.

The EUNAVFOR has also set up a communication network named Mercury for all Naval ships operating in the region to communicate with other forces

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