NATO's involvement in counter-piracy began in October 2008 when UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked NATO to provide escorts to UN World Food Programme vessels transiting through the Horn of Africa. This operation utilised an existing Standing NATO Maritime Group deployment to the region and was known as 'Operation ALLIED PROVIDER. It took place from October-December 2008 and included a UK ship (HMS Cumberland).

December 2008 saw the EU launch Operation ATALANTA and Combined Task Force 151 as the international community increased its efforts in the fight against piracy. However as the threat remained severe, NATO agreed to a further deployment to fight piracy utilising Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, known as Operation ALLIED PROTECTOR. It involved 5 NATO vessels operating for most of the period of March- June 2009.

Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 Operational Handover

On 29 June 2009 Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) took over responsibility from Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) for conducting counter piracy operations off Somalia, this was initially Operation ALLIED PROTECTOR, but has now transformed into Operation Ocean Shield.

The incoming Commander SNMG2, Commodore Steve Chick (Royal Navy) said:

"The successes achieved against the pirates over the last few months off the Horn of Africa by SNMG1 have really demonstrated the effectiveness of NATO’s standing maritime forces. Along with that of the other maritime forces in the region, the combat power brought to bear by the Group has had a telling effect on pirate activity, and the flexibility with which SNMG1 has taken to the task is testament to the continued relevance of maritime forces in the modern world.”

SNMG2 is a permanently activated multinational NATO maritime force, led by a multinational staff, created as a high readiness group, mobile and flexible across the broad spectrum of missions. Command of the Force periodically rotates amongst NATO nations. SNMG2 usually operates under the Allied Maritime Component Command Naples and is part of the maritime component of the NATO Response Force.