The Atalanta operation began in 2008 and aims to protect merchant ships transiting between the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean and also carry out escorting activities for the merchant ships of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), in charge of delivering food aid in Somalia.
Admiral Rando took command of the 465 Task Force, composed of the destroyer Andrea Doria, command post, a Dutch frigate, a Spanish frigate and a German team supplier; the admiral will use an international staff formed by 34 officers and non-commissioned officers belonging to 12 different nations (Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Holland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Spain) .The destroyer Andrea Doria , under the command of vessel captain Gianfranco Annunziata, has a crew of 208 between men and women including the specialist teams of the San Marco marine brigade, the Underwater Operating Group and the Helicopter Section.
Ship Andrea Doria will replace the destroyer Francesco Mimbelli in the Horn of Africa, engaged since last February in the NATO Ocean Shield operation to combat piracy, thus continuing to ensure the presence of the Italian navy in the waters of the Gulf of Aden and the basin of Somalia, affected by commercial traffic of national interest.
Admiral Rando also takes command of the Euromarfor group which includes France, Italy, Portugal and Spain engaged in maritime control, humanitarian missions, peacekeeping and peacekeeping missions, and crisis management.
Source: Military Navy
