ITS MOROSINI AND HS THEMISTOCLES SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE FORCE INTEGRATION PHASE IN EUNAVFOR MED OPERATION IRINI
On April 10th during the early hours at dawn in the Central Mediterranean Sea, a peculiar activity of the EUNAVFOR MED Operation IRINI took place. The “Force Integration PHASE” training exercise brought together the Italian vessel MOROSINI and the Hellenic vessel THEMISTOKLES, that just joined the Operation, in a series of coordinated maneuvers, designed to enhance operational readiness and welcomed each other crews “de visu”. Personal relationships and trust are always important to face complex challenges, especially at sea!
The ships met at daybreak to execute a comprehensive program of telecommunications drills, radar tracking exchanges, and cinematic maneuvers. The activities centered two pivotal boarding exercises. In the first phase, ITS MOROSINI conducted an extensive boarding on the Hellenic vessel – which simulated to be a merchant vessel suspect of carrying out illegal activity – followed by a reciprocal boarding of HS THEMISTOKLES on the Italian ship. These delicate and complex exercises are fundamental to the consolidation of procedural protocols and demonstrate that EUNAVFOR MED IRINI’s Naval Forces are fully prepared for in-depth inspections. Operational readiness is essential for the successful interception and inspection of merchant vessels suspected of illegally trafficking arms to Libya – a key task of the European Union’s IRINI Operation.
Between the two boarding operations, the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Alessandro DI BIASI, accompanied by the Commander of the ITS MOROSINI and a mixed delegation of the ship and the staff, took the opportunity to make a visit to the HS THEMISTOCLES. This visit made it possible to meet the Commander and some of the crew in person, thus gaining an insight into the capabilities and everyday life of the unit, while at the same time conveying the greetings and best wishes of the Operation Commander, Rear Admiral Valentino RINALDI and the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Alessandro DI BIASI for the successful execution of the Operation.
This meticulously coordinated training phase underlines EUNAVFOR MED IRINI’s commitment to maintain the highest standards of operational excellence. It also underscores the continuous efforts by the European Union to pursue Maritime Security in the Mediterranean, addressing the critical challenges posed by the illicit arms trade and illegal trafficking in general.
