Royal Marines of 42 Commando conducting anti-piracy ops in West African waters while embarked aboard HMS Trent.

 Royal Marines of 42 Commando have joined the international fight against piracy in West African waters while on operations with HMS Trent.

The commandos are experts in boarding operations, known officially as Maritime Interdiction Operations, and have been sharing knowledge and expertise in the skills needed to board, search and – if needs be – seize suspect vessels with local forces.

Marines are in the Gulf of Guinea – one of the world’s piracy hotspots – as the UK looks to improve security and help prevent widespread piracy which has seen international shipping suffer, seafarers’ lives put in danger and damage caused to the economies of nearby nations.

HMS Trent and the marine have visited Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal to foster ties and train local forces, equipping them in the fight against illegal activity, and spoken to local fishermen to understand patterns of life during security operations in the Niger Delta.