VICTORIA, Seychelles — Italian Rear Admiral Davide Da Pozzo has assumed command of the 49th rotation as Force Commander of the European Naval Force (EUNavfor) Operation Atalanta. He takes command of Task Force 465 from Portuguese Commodore Alexandre Serrano, who had been in command since December 12, 2024.
The ceremony, which took place on the Spanish ship Santa Maria in the Port of Djibouti, was chaired by the EUNavfor Atalanta Operation Commander, Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano. The Vice Admiral conveyed his highest appreciation for the commitment of the outgoing Force Commander and the crew of ESPS Santa María. The 48th rotation was involved in several piracy events, including two armed robberies at sea, one involving a Chinese-flagged fishing vessel and another involving the Yemeni-flagged fishing vessel ‘Al Najma’.
Speaking after taking command, Rear Admiral Davide Da Pozzo pledged to uphold the principles that have guided the mission so far and made it successful: cooperation and a commitment to the rule of law. He will lead the 49th rotation of Operation Atalanta forces with the Italian warship ITS Rizzo as the flagship. The Force Headquarters is an embarked headquarters forward deployed to the Atalanta Area of Operation, responsible for the tactical command of all EUNavfor multinational assets in the area.
