The European Union formally launched its anti-piracy task mission off the Somali coast yesterday, preparing to take over from the NATO flotilla guarding one of the world's most important shipping lanes.

EU foreign ministers met to inaugurate the operation yesterday afternoon, said Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for the bloc's foreign policy chief Javier Solana. But the hand-over in the Gulf of Aden does not take place until Dec 15.

Six EU warships and three maritime reconnaissance aircraft will patrol the region and escort cargo ships carrying relief aid through pirate-infested waters to Somalia, as the NATO vessels have done since the end of October. The NATO ships will return to Europe.

In addition to the alliance's ships, about a dozen other warships from the United States, India, Russia and Malaysia are patrolling the region.

Although the NATO force has successfully delivered nearly 30,000 tons of humanitarian supplies to Somalia, it has not been able to stem an upsurge in pirate attacks off Somalia.

Pirates sailing from a number of Somali ports have attacked 32 vessels and hijacked 12 of them since the NATO operation began on Oct 24.

Under the current UN mandate, the international fleet operating off the Horn of Africa has not been able to board seized ships or to free hostage crews.