14 July 2011

The new Commander of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, Captain Jim Gilmour RNZN, is building key relationships as part of the CTF mission to disrupt piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Somali basin region.

CAPT Gilmour met with Portuguese Commodore Alberto Correia, Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia - Operation Atalanta (Task Force 465) onboard their flagship N.R.P Vasco Da Gama.

“Relationship building is critical to the success of CTF 151 and international efforts to disrupt piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Somali basin.

“This visit was a great opportunity to meet with another key operator in this region that clearly has a complimentary mission to our own. We have been able to share views and enhance inter-task force cooperation through this engagement,” says CAPT Gilmour.

CTF 151 is one of three task forces operating under the US-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a 25-nation coalition. CTF 151's counter-piracy operations focus on the Gulf of Aden and Somali basin, an area encompassing 1.1 million square miles.

CTF 151 liaises closely with a number of international partners in the region including the EU and NATO. European Union Naval Force Somalia (EUNAVFOR) – Operation Atalanta (TF 465) conducts counter-piracy operations in the region as part of their primary mission of protecting World Food Programme ships traveling to and from Somalia.

Two NZ Defence Force staff officers support CAPT Gilmour in his role as Commander of CTF 151.

New Zealand is impacted by piracy, even far from our shores. This deployment demonstrates NZ Defence Force’s commitment to protecting security and stability in the international maritime environment.

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ENDS

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