The UK is to deploy a naval vessel plus a contingent of Royal Marines to the Gulf of Guinea to help in the battle against piracy.
HMS Trent — the first Royal Navy vessel to operate off West Africa for three years — will conduct maritime security patrols as well as support partner navies by helping them to develop key maritime skills and plans for future operations in the region.
The ship will visit Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Gambia and Cape Verde, and will take part in French-led multinational training exercises, known as Grand African Nemo.
The patrol vessel will carry a contingent of Royal Marines, which will train partner forces in skills such as the boarding and searching of suspicious vessels, evidence handling and medical skills.
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) described the Royal Marines as “experts in boarding operations helping fight against illegal activity like piracy, drugs-smuggling and terrorism”.
UK armed forces minister James Heappey said: “Working hand-in-hand with our allies we are utilising our forward deployed armed forces to tackle threats at the source, making the world a safer place for all.”
HMS Trent commanding officer, commander Thomas Knott, said: “This deployment marks an important return to the region for the Royal Navy demonstrating our commitment to improving maritime security in the area.
"We are looking forward to working with regional partners and also engaging with local communities in an effort to strengthen security."
The MoD said HMS Trent is one of five Royal Navy patrol ships which are currently operating around the world in areas of “critical importance to the UK" — from the Indo-Pacific, South Atlantic to the Mediterranean and Caribbean.
The ship's primary role is for counter-piracy, anti-smuggling, fishery protection, border patrol, counter terrorism, humanitarian aid, search and rescue, general patrols and defence diplomacy.
In March, Denmark said it would deploy a warship to the Gulf of Guinea to fight the spike in piracy off West Africa.
The naval vessel will reportedly be deployed for five months from about November this year to March 2022.
The Gulf of Guinea continues to be particularly dangerous for seafarers with 32% of all reported incidents of piracy in the first half of 2021 taking place in the region, according to the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau.
