Frigate ‘Santa Maria’ instructs the Navy and Coast Guard of Djibouti during its deployment in ‘Operation Atalanta’

•  The ‘Doraleh Regional’ exercise has been focused on enhancing capabilities in maritime safety, navigation, first aid and damage control.

The frigate ‘Santa María’ has carried out training activities, alongside the Navy and Coast Guard of Djibouti, in the framework of the exercise ‘Doraleh Regional’, during its call at the port of Djibouti, where it provides surveillance and deterrence against piracy and illicit trafficking in the Indian Ocean within the framework of ‘Operation Atalanta’.

This training was inaugurated by the Force Commander of ‘Operation Atalanta’ at the Doraleh Training Center, where 12 officers from the Spanish ship delivered lectures focused on improving the understanding of fundamental operational concepts. These included the planning and execution of maritime interdiction operations, as well as raising awareness of the importance of Maritime Area Reconnaissance and strategies to combat and prevent illegal maritime activities.

Additionally, participants from the Navy and Coast Guard of Djibouti were invited on board the ‘Santa Maria’ to receive theoretical and practical lessons on damage prevention and safety inside the ship against fire and flooding, first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques, navigational procedures and ship-specific Maritime Force Protection operations.

This capacity building event has significantly strengthened the partnership between the participating entities and improved the visibility of ‘Operation Atalanta’. The exercise emphasised the common objectives of improving operational readiness, fostering cooperation and addressing the challenges faced by the maritime sector.

‘Operation Atalanta’

Operation Atalanta was the result of a series of UN resolutions adopted after the increase in acts of piracy in the Indian Ocean from 2005 onwards, and, with Spain's strong support, it became the first EU naval operation to be carried out under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

At the end of 2022, the EU Council approved the extension of the operation's mandate until December 2024, reflecting both the achievements made and the challenges for the future. Throughout this time, the area of operations has been expanded under successive mandates and currently covers the Gulf of Aden and neighbouring countries, including the port and city of Muscat (Oman), the Somali Basin, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba.

Currently, under the operational control of the Operations Command, Spain is contributing to Operation Atalanta with approximately 350 military personnel, as well as the following assets and units:

·         The Operation Headquarters, OHQ, at the Rota naval base.

·         One frigate/ warship.

·         An embarked helicopter.

·         An embarked special operations team.

·         One maritime reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft (DAT ‘Orion’) in Djibouti.

·         Liaison offices located in Mogadishu (Somalia), Manama (Bahrain), Brussels (Belgium) and Port Victoria (Seychelles).

·         Operation Logistics Support Unit deployed in Djibouti (Djibouti).

As a demonstration of our commitment to the security of the region, Spain has been the only European Union country to have participated continuously in Operation Atalanta since its launch 16 years ago.