Denmark sends new warship to Somalia
SHIPPING: The Danish government has decided to send a new warship to the pirated waters off the coast of Somalia. The warship will replace the support ship Absalon, which was withdrawn to Denmark in the beginning of April.
The decision is stated in a letter sent by Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen to Danish Shipowners' Association. This happens after the shipowners have emphasised to the government, the importance of Denmark, with its large trade fleet, participating in the international fight against the pirates.
"It is gratifying that Denmark and the Danish fleet can continue to lead the way, also for the international community, when it comes to fighting pirates", says vice chair of Danish Shipowners' Association, Jan Fritz Hansen to maritimedanmark.dk.
In practice, the government will place a ship at the NATO force's disposal in 2010; however formally, NATO decides whether the fleet will be employed in fighting pirates.
It is still unknown which warship Denmark will send. But the letter to the Shipowners' Association states that the ship will be of Absalon type, and that the ship will have reached its destination by the end of this year or the beginning of the next.
The support ship Absalon carried out an almost eight months long expedition in the water off the coast of Somalia this and last year with great success.
Source: maritimedanmark.dk