22.10.2012
Floating workshop PM-56 left Sevastopol and headed for the Mediterranean Sea in order to reach Syrian port Tartus, said Black Sea Fleet (BSF) spokesman Capt 1 Rank Vyacheslav Trukhachev on Oct 20.
"PM-56 will call at Tartus to shift floating workshop PM-138 which crew has been maintaining Russian naval assets deployed in the Mediterranean Sea for half a year", reports
Interfax citing Trukhachev.
Seagoing tug MB-304 also left the harbor last Saturday. After passing the Black Sea Straits in Oct 21-22, the ship will set a course for Italy to join BSF destroyer
Smetlivy in the IONIEX-2012 joint Russo-Italian naval exercise.
Black Sea Fleet HQ reported on Aug 22 that floating workshop PM-138 stationed in Russian Navy maintenance base in Tartus (Syria) would return to Sevastopol in accordance to schedule, late in Sept, being replaced by another vessel.
The Russian Navy's 720-th Technical Maintenance Base was established in Syrian port Tartus in 1977 in accordance with the Soviet-Syrian agreement tied in 1971. Presently, it is the last Russian military station beyond the territory of the former USSR. It consists of two mooring floats, a couple of depots, barracks, and several buildings. One of BSF floating workshops is stationed in Tartus on the 6-month long rotational basis. Personnel strength of the base does not exceed 50 mariners.
