By Philip Mwakio

A week preceding the European Union Naval Force first anniversary celebrations on December 10, a team of journalists was invited to tour a warship involved in the fight against piracy.

After clearance at the Kenya Ports Authority main gate, we were ushered into a bus, which took us straight to berth number 12.

Here, a French naval frigate, Floreal, part of the team of EU Naval vessels doing rounds on Africa’s longest coastline off the Somalia coast had docked.

It is the flagship for the EU mission code, named Atlanta, established on December 8, 2008, in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions to contribute to deterrence and repression of piracy acts and armed robbery off Somali. The grey ship flies both the EU and French flags, a light surveillance vessel, a heavy helicopter used in all weather with a small crew.

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A smartly dressed French navy officer walked towards our group after we had alighted next to the quayside.

EU Naval mission

After exchanging pleasantries, we were escorted up the gangway.

In the officers’ mess was a video clip detailing the scope of operations. After the presentation, it was time to be shown round the entire ship, starting with the ship’s bridge.

Heavy armaments were positioned at strategic places near the bridge with the main gun covered with a tarpaulin.

An announcement over the ship’s public address system reported the arrival of the EU Naval Commander, Rear Admiral Peter Hudson. The commander’s arrival was marked with full military tradition complete with a guard of honour.

In what resembled an aircraft hangar, chairs had been neatly placed behind a high table from where the commander and the commanding officer of Floreal sat.

Rear Admiral Hudson, a veteran of the Royal Navy said the war against piracy in Somalia could not be won at sea alone.

The EU naval mission is threefold and includes protecting UN World Food Programme-chartered vessels from the port of Mombasa carrying relief food for humanitarian aid in Somalia. The other is to protect merchant vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden as well as deter and repress acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somalia coast.

The force draws its membership from the United Kingdom, Greece, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Italy and Spain.