Non-Subscriber Extract
Dutch frigate heads to Somalia as EU steps up anti-piracy effort
By Tim Fish
10 October 2008
The Royal Netherlands Navy is to deploy the De Zeven Provincien-class frigate HrMs De Ruyter to waters off Somalia to escort World Food Programme (WFP) aid ships.
It will replace Canada's Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ville de Québec towards the end of October; the latter began duties as a WFP escort in August following a plea from the UN organisation for protection from pirate attacks.
The Netherlands is the latest country to offer naval assets for anti-piracy duties off Somalia. On October 1, the German government said it would make one of its frigates available for a proposed European Union (EU) naval task group for the area.
European defence ministers meeting in Deauville, France, on 1 October gave their initial support to plans to deploy what will be the EU's first such force. Final approval is expected at a meeting on 10 November.
Consisting of three frigates, a supply ship and three maritime surveillance aircraft, the group is expected to arrive off Somalia by the end of 2008.