The Royal Navy-led EU NAVFOR, the European Union’s first naval task force assembled to protect international shipping in the waters off Somalia, has partnered with Polymorph, UK IT services company, to develop a collaboration tool.
It seeks to enable the various vessels that collectively operate under the EU NAVFOR anti-piracy initiative to exchange vital information securely in real-time. For the first time, international military vessels, including ships from the EU to NATO and other nations will be able to quickly and securely communicate and co-ordinate their anti-piracy operation, to deal with acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast.
The new collaboration tool that Polymorph developed will enable the vessels involved in Operation ATALANTA to overcome current IT and communication systems limitations by providing a single secure framework to enable the counter-piracy task forces to communicate more effectively over a secure channel. The solution provides secure, real-time communication capabilities and document sharing to support the protection of vessels of the United Nations WFP (World Food Programme) delivering food aid to displaced persons in Somalia, and the prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast.
Secure systems
"The recent outbreak of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast has generated deep concerns globally," commented a spokesperson from EU NAVFOR. "Operation ATALANTA is the EU response to the global action in the Horn of Africa to deal with the Somali crisis, which has political, security and humanitarian ramifications. Having reviewed the first six months of operations, we realised the requirement for a secure collaboration tool, to supersede existing systems, which would enable counter piracy efforts within the region.
"We handle sensitive information and needed a secure and fully-integrated solution that would help us not only establish better communication between the various international military vessels present in the Horn of Africa, but also gain control over these increasingly complex and disturbing instances. Polymorph was able to deliver results directly from the onset. The breadth of functionality and collaboration of the tool has provided the necessary cooperative framework that will allow all involved to cooperate effectively with other naval forces and assets deployed in the region," added the spokesperson.
The template of the collaboration tool will enable military vessels from around the globe to communicate more effectively with each other in international waters, not just in the Horn of Africa. "The opportunity to work with the Royal Navy, alongside the MoD and EU NAVFOR is an honour," said Steve Harris, Managing Director of Polymorph. "Being chosen after a comprehensive selection process – and standing out from our competition – is a great endorsement of the skills, quality and expertise Polymorph has to offer and we look forward to building on this international project."
About EU NAVFOR
Operation ATALANTA is an EU Military Mission established on 8 December 2008 in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1814, 1816, 1838 and 1896, to contribute to the deterrence and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast. Rear Admiral Peter Hudson Royal Navy is appointed as the Operation Commander for the EU’s first Naval Operation, within the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy, and leads the Operation Command Headquarters of 76 staff based at Northwood, UK.
At any one time the EU NAVFOR will comprise of up to six Frigates and three to five Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA).
About Polymorph
Polymorph Ltd offers IT services and consultancy from developing bespoke software solutions to providing IT managed services including on/off site infrastructure support services. Its customers include Manchester Airport, The Salvation Army, BT Plc and Panasonic. For additional information, visit –
