Docklands welcomes ships

28 May 2010

This week British Waterways welcomed a fleet of four ships, part of the NATO Mine Counter Measures Group Two (SNMCMG2) to London Docklands.

The ships will visit London from 27th May to 1st June 2010. The ships will be berthed at West India Dock. The Commander of the Force is Captain Patrizio RAPALINO, an Italian Navy officer, who assumed the Command on the 12th of June 2009.

Gareth Stephens, British Waterways’ Harbour and Waterspace Manager, said: “It’s a real honour to host the ships here in Docklands. It’s great to have a range of different vessels in the Docks, as they make the waterspace a more vibrant and interesting place. At the moment we’ve got the NATO vessels moored in West India Dock alongside some really stunning yachts.

“British Waterways is keen to promote West India Dock as a fantastic location for visiting vessels to moor up and discover all that Docklands and London has to offer. We are currently working with the European and UK marine industry to raise the profile of the Docks, especially in the build up to 2012 when we expect to host many more vessels, from super yachts to cruisers and sailing charters.”

The SNMCMG2 is a multinational, integrated maritime Force, made up of ships from various NATO Nations, training and operating together as a single team that is permanently available to NATO to perform a wide range of tasks from participating to exercises to real world operations. Usually the SNMCMG2 is employed in the Mediterranean area, but as required, will be available anywhere NATO request to deploy.

The visit to London by the SNMCMG2 will be the first since its activation in 1999. The four ships visiting London Docklands are ITS Granatiere, an Italian frigate, which hosts the Group’s command staff and three mine hunter vessels, ESPS SEGURA (Spain), TCG AMASRA (Turkey), and ITS RIMINI (Italy).

Commenting on the visit to London, the Commander of the SNMCMG2, Captain Patrizio Raplino, Italian Navy said: “It is a great honour and a pleasure for me to be the first SNMCMG2 commander to sail in to the River Thames and visit London with my NATO Group. My sailors and I are happy to have the chance to exchange experiences with the United Kingdom, which has one of the most important naval histories among the Allied Nations”.

ENDS

For more information about the NATO Mine Counter Measures Group Two (SNMCMG2) please contact:

LT Paolo PEZZOLA, ITA N

SNMCMG2 MWO

e-mail: snmcmg2.mwo@gmail.com

For more information about British Waterways please contact:

Gill Owen

Communications Manager

T 020 7985 7227

mb 07733 124580

1 Sheldon Square

Paddington Central

London W2 6TT