The US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) arrived in Helsinki, Finland, on April 18 for a scheduled port visit.
The visit is aimed at enhancing US-Finland relations as the two nations work together to strengthen regional security and stability. It follows a bilateral interoperability live-fire gunnery exercise between the two navies.
“Porter is very excited to be in Helsinki, working alongside one of our greatest partners. The reception that they have given us has been great and we are looking forward to all the great events that we will be participating in between our two navies,” Cmdr. John V. Tobin , commanding officer of Porter, commented.
During the visit, the crew will carry out maintenance and restocking tasks in order to prepare the vessel for the upcoming leg at sea. The command of the USS Porter will meet with local civilian and military leadership in Helsinki and sailors will have an opportunity to work with their Finnish counterparts to exchange information and enhance interoperability.
The 154-meter-long Porter, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is conducting naval operations in the US 6th Fleet area of operations in support of US national security interests in Europe. The ship deployed from Naval Station Rota on April 2.