Industrial-Ace

After two and a half years protecting the World Food Programme ship, MV Caroline Scan, from pirate attack off the coast of Somalia, the EU Naval Force has bid the vessel and her hard-working crew a fond farewell. In April 2014, MV Caroline Scan will be entering a period of maintenance at a yard in Singapore.

One of the primary tasks of the EU Naval Force Somalia Operation Atalanta is the protection of World Food Programme (WFP) ships and other vulnerable shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Western Indian Ocean, EU NavFor said in its press release. As a result of the successful cooperation between the EU Naval Force and WFP, not one WFP ship has been attacked by pirates, so all the aid, 880,000 tonnes, has been successfully delivered to the Somali people. Currently most of the WFP deliveries are conducted by the time chartered vessel, MV Caroline Scan and since 2011 MV Caroline Scan has delivered over 127,000 tonnes of aid. MV Caroline Scan is currently being protected by a Serbian Forces AVPD.

The German frigate FGS KOELN, participating in European Union Naval Force Somalia - Operation Atalanta, has recently escorted M/V CAROLINE SCAN to the Kenyan port Mombasa. The ship is chartered by the World Food Programme and will be loaded with urgently needed food for the people in Somalia. Additionally a German Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) was embarked on the merchant vessel during the escort and optimized therefore the safety of CAROLINE SCAN.