Second German frigate to fight Somali piracy

08.08.2011 Germany dispatches the second frigate – Köln – to the Gulf of Aden under EU anti-piracy operation Atalanta, reports German Navy's official website. Köln will leave Wilhelmshaven late in Aug.

German frigate Niedersachsen was stationed off Somalia in the port of Djibouti till Aug 4, when she relinquished command over German troops to frigate Bavaria and headed for homebase.

Apart from two German frigates, EU Operation Atalanta is attended by three ships from Spain, Portugal, and Greece, as well as two patrol aircrafts from Luxembourg.

Main objective of Operation Atalanta is protection of World Food Program's humanitarian convoys heading for Somali and ships of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) from pirate attacks.