In a ceremony held on June 9, the Brazilian Navy (MB, in Portuguese) took command, for the first time, of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, a multinational anti-piracy task force that provides protection for global maritime trade in an area covering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, Somali coast, and the Southern Red Sea region.
MB Rear Admiral André Luiz Andrade Felix assumed command at the Manama headquarters in Bahrain; his term will last until November 2021. Brazil is the first South American country to play a prominent role in this multinational maritime partnership to promote safety in approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, covering some of the world’s most important sea routes.
CTF 151 was established in 2009 and currently has 34 countries participating, including the United States. The task force is considered the largest multinational maritime partnership in the world.
“The navies have the primary role of protecting maritime trade. The Combined Maritime Force [CMF], a unique naval force due to its composition, brings together 34 countries that share the same strategic vision of preserving freedom of navigation and the free flow of legitimate trade in this important region of the world, caring for the lives of sailors, no matter where they come from,” said Rear Adm. Felix during his inaugural address. “Therefore, it is a great honor and privilege to be part of the CMF’s efforts, assuming the command of CTF 151 today. This occasion is even more prestigious because it’s the first time Brazil leads a mission to combat piracy in this area of operation,” the new commander added.
The Combined Maritime Force [CMF], a unique naval force due to its composition, brings together 34 countries that share the same strategic vision of preserving freedom of navigation and the free flow of legitimate trade in this important region of the world, caring for the lives of sailors, no matter where they come from,” Rear Adm. Felix.
Previously, Rear Adm. Felix led the 1st Naval District Command General Staff, based in Rio de Janeiro, which has jurisdiction over the maritime area covering the states of Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, and the islands of Trindade and Martim Vaz. The officer was also chief of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon’s Maritime Task Force General Staff (UNIFIL-MTF) between 2015 and 2016. UNIFIL-MTF, the only naval U.N. peacekeeping mission, was under Brazil’s command since 2011, which was the only non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization country to lead the mission.