OPV ‘Infanta Elena’ concludes deployment in West Africa.

The offshore patrol vessel (OPV) ‘Infanta Elena’ has just concluded a four-month tour in West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea, monitoring shipping, enhancing maritime security, conducting naval presence and providing support to vessels and areas affected by piracy, uncontrolled migrations and illegal fishing.

The OPV was welcomed home by Vice-admiral Manuel de la Puente and other military authorities accompanied by family members and friends of the ship’s crew.

The ship has sailed more than 15,000 nautical miles visiting different ports in Mauritania, Cape Verde, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Gabon, Sao Tome and Angola, organizing several activities with local armed forces including Cooperative Security and Bilateral Cooperation exercises.

In March, the ‘Infanta Elena’ participated in the international exercise ‘Obangame Express’ led by the US and intended to help regional navies in the fight against illegal activities carried out in the maritime environment.

In those international exercises, up to 19 African and 11 European nations took part improving cooperation in maritime security issues and enhancing the interoperability of the different armed forces involved.

During her deployment in Africa, the OPV supported the Defense Diplomacy Plan, a series of international activities based on dialogue and cooperation which the Spanish Ministry of Defense regularly carries out at bilateral level with allied and partner nations to foster the implementation of defense policy objectives like conflicts prevention or the strengthening of security capabilities.

The ‘Infanta Elena’, with a crew of 91 people, is currently under command of Lt-Cdr. Álvaro Zaragoza. For this specific deployment, the ship embarked an Operational Security team made up of Spanish Marines.