On Friday, 14 May 2021, the ships and boats of the NATO mine countermeasures group SNMCMG 1 (Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1) moored at Warnemünde naval base. They will stay until next Monday.
The mine defence unit includes the German minehunting boat Sulzbach-Rosenberg currently four other minehunting vessels from Estonia, England, Belgium and the Netherlands. In addition, there is the Belgian command and logistical support ship Godetiathe flagship of the association.
"We have been travelling since mid-April and have not had the opportunity to get to know the ports we visit due to the current Covid-19 situation, so spending time in a military port where we can move around freely is a welcome change for the crews," says the commander of the Sulzbach-RosenbergKapitänleutnant Florian Förster (35).
Prior to this, the 288-strong unit practised at the Polish Passex, during which the mine countermeasure units trained not only with Polish allies, but also with units from the US 6th Fleet. The Baltic Sea manoeuvre Open Spirit 2021 was also successfully completed with the removal of various mines in the eastern Baltic Sea. After two further exercises with the Finnish and Danish navies, participation in the US manoeuvre Baltops is still on the SNMCMG 1's programme for the beginning of June.
The NATO mission was shortened from six to three months due to the limited opportunities for shore leave. For this reason, the 42-strong crew of the Sulzbach-Rosenberg is expected to return to its home port of Kiel in mid-July.
Text: mb; Photo: Bundeswehr/Björn Wilke
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