Irini, Aspides and Atalanta: Italia now leads all EU maritime missions

In a phase of great geopolitical turbulence, in which the tug-of-war between the US on the one hand and Iran on the other over the access of ships to the Strait of Hormuz has led to an acceleration in the price of oil, Italia finds itself playing a leading role: in fact, it currently leads all maritime missions promoted by the European Union. With the assumption, which took place in the last few days, of the tactical command of Operation Eunavfor Med Irini, in fact, the Italian Navy is currently leading all the European Union's maritime missions, having already taken over the tactical command of the European Union Naval Force - Operation Aspides and European Union Naval Force - Operation Atalanta missions months ago. In fact, it is a cover on the enlarged Mediterranean, to ensure the safe transit of international 'bottlenecks' (choke points) such as Suez and the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb.

The multi-mission combatant unit Francesco Morosini leads the Irini mission's efforts in the central Mediterranean to implement the arms embargo in Libya and combat trafficking. On 1 April, Admiral Bielli assumed command of the mission at the Souda naval base in Crete. The tactical commander of the Forces at sea is in charge of all the air-sea assets operating in the Central Mediterranean, and the operational and logistical structures ashore of Operation Irini. The tactical commander of the Forces at sea and the commander of Operation Irini, who operates from the headquarters in Rome, are positions assigned on a six-monthly rotating basis by Italia and Greece and testify to the importance attributed to the operation by the two Member States within the framework of the EU's common security and defence policy. Italia, moreover, seamlessly guarantees almost 25% of all Irini personnel.

Aspides

For the Aspides mission between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, Admiral Argenton and his staff operate on the frigate Luigi Rizzo. They command a maritime device that operates to ensure freedom of navigation in a crucial area, in fact the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb is a vital choke-point for energy and trade supplies to Europe.

A little further south, in the Indian Ocean, the frigate Emilio Bianchi is the flagship of the Atalanta mission, coordinating the fight against piracy and the protection of World Food Programme ships. On board, Admiral Martinuzzi and staff are tasked with ensuring the security of merchant shipping routes in the Indian Ocean.