Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) pulled into Gdynia’s naval harbor in Poland for a port visit on Friday, in advance of multinational exercises and historic ordnance disposal (HOD) operations.
The Group’s flagship FGS DONAU, an ELBE-class German tender, and the mine hunters FGS AUERBACH (Germany), BNS LOBELIA (Belgium), HMS PEMBROKE (UK) and ORP MEWA (Poland) frequently conduct HOD operations in an effort to minimize the threat from mines dating back to the 20th century world wars for all those who use the sea for their benefit – fishermen, cargo ships, ferries and the like.
The commander of the group, Commander Peter Bergen Henegouwen (NLD N) led a delegation composed of the ship’s commanding officers on visits to the Mayor of Gdynia and by the senior military representative, Vice Admiral Stanislaw Zarychta, at the Polish Navy’s Maritime Operations Centre – Maritime Component Command.
This delegation was also received by the 3rd Ships Flotilla’s Commander, Rear Admiral Miroslaw Mordel while the ships were hosted by the 13th MCM Squadron led by Commander Piotr Sikora, former Commander of the SNMCMG1 in 2013.
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Image: MARCOM