The Maritime Task Force is carrying out an operation to combat piracy in Somalia

A multi-national naval task force tasked with combating piracy in Somalia's waters is conducting a five-day operation to increase the presence of warships in the region.

The presence of a task force aims to raise awareness of the marine community of the continuing risk to shipping, despite the reduction of Somali piracy activity and the expiry of a key industry designation.

The concentrated operation, known as Mare Liberum, takes place when the shipping industry has removed the designation ‘high-risk area’ (HRA) for the western Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden and the southern Red Sea from 1 January 2023.

The operation is conducted by a task force – Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151), which is currently under the command of Brazil. The Task Force was set up in 2009 with a specific mandate based on missions to combat piracy in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.

With the European Union's maritime forces in Somalia (EU NAVFOR) and other partners, CTF 151 helps patrol, recommended by the international community, the transit corridor (IRTC) through the Gulf of Aden.

Task Force Command (CTF) argues that this operation should serve as a reminder that Somali piracy has not been completely eliminated.

The High Risk Zone (HRA) in the Indian Ocean was formed in 2010 during the peak period of Somali piracy, when a merchant ship was attacked on average every other day. However, thanks to coordinated anti-piracy efforts, as well as increased use of private armed bodyguards, improved conditions on land, and industry's application of Best Management Practices Guidelines 5, the number of incidents of piracy began to decline rapidly, and free shipping was mostly restored in the region.

According to CTF 151, the last pirate attack in the Somali Basena took place in April 2019 and eventually failed. The last successful pirate attack took place in spring 2017, which was the first kidnapping since 2012.

As Mare Liberum began on Wednesday, CTF 151 wanted to remind the shipping industry not to let down their guard, and continue to follow the BMP 5 instructions and navigate through the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) despite removing the HRA designation.

Operation Mare Liberum is due to end on January 5.

During this period, the CTF 151 will coordinate the efforts of multinational resources such as ships, aircraft, unmanned elements, satellite systems and maritime organisations that will cooperate in an area encompassing some of the world's most important shipping routes to contribute to free shipping, develop regional leadership capacity and calm the international community.
CTF 151 press release

Source: Combined Task Force 151/JB