Oman was the venue for a change in command of the multinational Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 anti-piracy mission on Thursday, as Rear Admiral Tanin Likitawong of the Royal Thai Navy relieved Commodore Aage Buur Jensen of the Royal Danish Navy.
The ceremony took place on board the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97), at Port Sultan Qaboos, Muscat, and was overseen by the visiting head of the US Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain, Vice Admiral Mark Fox. Commodore Jensen had previously coordinated CTF 151 operations with his team embarked on the US warship for the past three months.
"It is my intent to continue the outstanding efforts of Commodore Jensen, and the progress which he and his team on board Halsey have made countering piracy in this region. I am also greatly looking forward to working with all the nations of Combined Maritime Forces," said Rear Admiral Tanin, following the change in command.
Since January, CTF 151 has reportedly disrupted four pirate action groups and monitored coastal areas along the northern area of the Horn of Africa and the south Somali coast for pirate activity. According to figures from Combined Maritime Forces in Bahrain, between January and March this year, there was a decrease in piracy attacks on vessels from 41 to 11, and successful pirating from 13 to four, compared to the same period in 2011.
During the changeover ceremony, Commodore Jensen said continued cooperation with multinational deployment by the EU, NATO, as well as independent missions, showed the willingness in trying to defeat piracy. "Counter-piracy is a matter of concern for all nations and should be dealt with by all," he said.
CTF 151 was established in 2009 to suppress piracy and protect maritime vessels travelling through the region. CTF 151's area of operation encompasses a total of 1.1m sq miles around the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin.
© Muscat Daily 2012
