Medical staff from the EU NAVFOR and the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army completed medical exercises on board the EU NAVFOR flagship ESPS Castilla. There were also realistic simulations with the evacuation of casualties onto helicopter.
Namely, the medical exercise had been previously detailed in Djibouti. In order to make it resultful, there were realistic simulations, with the casualties being transported onto helicopters and taken in a ship’s operating theatre.
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The demonstration, learning and understanding of medical capabilities in demanding situations are of a great importance for life at sea. The collaboration between EU NAVFOR and PLA(N) will enable them to work in operational environments when it is needed.
Also, the deterrence, repression and prevention of piracy are crucial to the maritime shipping industry due to the international trade between East and West. Keeping the sea lanes open with key partners has brought more than €500 billion trade in 2017 between China and EU Member States.
Operation Atalanta is the European Union’s Operation to prevent piracy. Specifically, EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta has its core business to support World Food Programme vessels and it is its main goal to ensure their safety on their humanitarian mission. It’s been operating from December 2008 and it announced its expansion to December 2020.
Finally, on November 2018 EU NAVFOR cooperated with Kenya to fight piracy by having the seafarers carry out the second combined exercise together with Kenyan Navy counterparts. During the exercise, EU NAVFOR’s crew showed techniques to the Kenyan Navy in firefighting, first aid and anti-flooding procedures.