PORTUGAL ASSUMES COMMAND OF OPERATION ATALANTA’S FORCE

• The new Force rotation is commanded by the Portuguese Commodore Armando Pereira da Costa Valente Tinoco, and the Spanish ship, ESPS SANTA MARIA is the new flagship of the Operation.
• Spain was in charge of the Force Command in the previous rotation on board the Spanish ship ESPS NUMANCIA as flagship of the Operation.

On 15 October, Portuguese Commodore Armando Pereira da Costa Valente Tinoco assumed command of the 48th rotation as Force Commander of the European Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) ATALANTA. He takes command of Task Force 465 from Spanish Rear Admiral Manuel Alvargonzález Méndez who was in command since 20 June 2024. The ceremony, which took place on the Spanish ship ESPS NUMANCIA at the Port of Djibouti, was chaired by the EUNAVFOR ATALANTA Deputy Operation Commander Rear Admiral Domenico Guglielmi.

Rear Admiral Domenico Guglielmi conveyed his highest appreciation for his commitment to the outgoing Force Commander, the crew of ESPS NUMANCIA and ATALANTA’S detachments in Djibouti. “Fortunately, we can say that our vigilance and closer coordination with stakeholders has permitted that no merchant vessels reported have been attacked” remarked the outgoing Force Commander Rear Admiral Alvargonzález.

“The opportunity to reinforce the distinguished and demanding legacy built by all previous Force Commanders, over a 15-year successful operation, increases my commitment to fully comply with the direction and guidance provided by the Operation Commander and to permanently preserve the well-being and care of all those serving under my command” said Commodore Armando Pereira da Costa Valente Tinoco, the incoming Force Commander. He will lead the 48th rotation of Operation ATALANTA forces with the Spanish warship, ESPS SANTA MARIA as Operation ATALANTA’s flagship.

The ceremony was attended by several international and local civilian and military authorities.

The Force Headquarters, under the command of the Operation Headquarters in Rota (Spain), is an embarked headquarters forward deployed to ATALANTA Area of
Operations, responsible for the Tactical Command of all EUNAVFOR multinational assets in the area. Its main responsibility is conducting operations at the operational and tactical level, under the ATALANTA Operation mandate and the Operation Headquarters’ guidance.

EUNAVFOR ATALANTA