​This morning, the Italian FREMM frigate Luigi Rizzo has assumed the responsibility as flagship of the European Union Naval Force Operation – Somalia, called Atalanta, the European Union’s counter-piracy naval mission that operates in an area covering the Southern Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and part of the Indian Ocean, ensuring presence, surveillance and conducting constabulary activities on the high seas.

Onboard the Italian frigate, Rear Admiral Riccardo Marchiò has replaced Rear Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano of the Spanish Navy as Force Commander.

Under his command, the naval and air Task Force will patrol areas of interest and merchant marine transit corridors, while conducting counter-piracy activities, in cooperation with other naval forces deployed in that area.

At the end of a period of extensive repairs prior to the ship’s operational deployment off the Horn of Africa, before the departure from the La Spezia naval base, the handover ceremony was held onboard, and on August 13, the frigate unmoored and headed for the Suez Canal, under the command of Commander Dario Castelli.

ITS Luigi Rizzo takes part for the first time in this operation, in the wake of another Italian Navy FREMM frigate, ITS Carlo Bergamini, which ended her participation some months ago.

During the transfer to the Suez Canal, a replenishment at sea has been conducted with the Italian Navy's oiler ITS Etna, an excellent training opportunity both for the crews of the two ships and for the cadet chief petty officers of the Taranto Italian Navy Petty Officer School, who could participate in the activity, onboard ITS Etna.

The crossing of the Suez Canal is ITS Luigi Rizzo’s first transit in the Red Sea.

With the Sinai peninsula in the background, the Italian Navy FREMM frigate has met at sea the patrol ships of the 10th Coastal Naval Group (COMGRUPNAVCOST 10), national contribution to the Multinational Force & Observers　 (MFO), to conduct some coordinated logistic support activities.

Operation Atalanta, launched by the European Council in November 2008, has been the first EU-led naval operation, aimed at preventing and repressing acts of piracy off the Horn of Africa (Gulf of Aden and Somali basin), that still represent a latent threat for the freedom of navigation of merchant shipping, in particular for the ships of the World Food Programme (WFP) involved in the transport and delivery of humanitarian aid to Somalia and Yemen.

During the operation, ITS Rizzo’s crew will also be engaged in Civilian and Military Cooperation (CiMiC) activities, aimed at providing assistance and basic commodities to local populations, always respecting current anti-COVID measures.

ITS Luigi Rizzo will be deployed off the Horn of Africa until next December.