Northern Fleet Ships Visited Foreign Ports 20 Times in 2012

23.10.2012 In 2012, Northern Fleet (NF) warships and supply vessels paid over 20 visits to foreign ports under the international cooperation program and took part in 4 joint exercises: Pomor-2012, Northern Eagle 2012, Barents-2012, and PASSEX.

During the international naval exercises, NF mariners and their foreign colleagues practiced elements of counter-terror activities including joint anti-piracy and search operations, releasing of civil vessels from armed extremists, security of commercial shipping, interception of fast-speed boats violating state borders, etc.

The most interesting activities of the passed exercises were joint firing drills by major-caliber gun mounts, maneuvering, repelling of air attacks, search-and-rescue operations, mutual on-board tours, pre-flight preparation and helicopter flights with deck landing on Russian and foreign ships.

NF servicemen and their counterparts not only carried out joint operations at sea but actively participated in cultural life of the call ports. For one, Norwegian military delegation attended the Victory Day festivities in the Hero City of Murmansk. Crewmen of Norwegian frigate Fridtjof Nansen paraded down the main street of Murmansk together with Russian naval mariners.

Northern Fleet servicemen paid friendly visits to ports of Bodo (Norway), Portsmouth (UK), Ceuta (Spain), Souda (Greece), Lisbon (Portugal), Malta and Valletta (Malta), Jacksonville (US), Havana (Cuba), Tartus (Syria), and Jidda (Saudi Arabia).