US warships likely to visit Vizag this month

Visakhapatnam: The port city is likely to play host to US

Navy

’s

warships

later this month as part of the friendly naval exercises between India and the United States of America.

On Tuesday, an American delegation examined the facilities at the Visakhapatnam Port Trust to gain first hand knowledge as how secure the US crew members and the vessels would be while berthing here. They also wanted to understand the logistic arrangements, immigration process, access control etc.

LCDR Joseph Jankola, Assistant Naval Attache, Malta Sanchez Jorge, Defense Attache Operations, Rollins Donald, NCIS Security Coordinator, David Thomas Chaffin, NCIS Security Coordinator, Dass Lawrence, Liaison to the Defense Attache Office and Evans Germaine Issac also met the VPT chairman MT Krishna Babu.

Speaking to TOI, port chairman Krishna Babu said that “some of the US Naval warships are likely to make a call on a friendly visit with at least one vessel expected to arrive later this month.”

“The US delegation wanted to understand the facilities available with us and they seem to be satisfied in this regard. Last time they went to Goa and they are keen on East Coast this time,” Babu told ToI.

Last August, USS Pearl Harbor, the amphibious dock landing ship visited Goa. Such visits normally comprise of exchanges with the Indian Navy in sea warfare etc. The sailors and marines also get to experience the Indian culture.

The last time US warships were present at Vizag was during the International Fleet Review held here in February 2016, officials said.

While assuring the US delegation of safety, VPT chairman informed that the CISF is manning the port area and that the port is well secured with the coordination and cooperation of Coastal Marine Police, Indian Coast Guard and in the Indian Navy’s jurisdiction.

“The US is our friendly foreign nation and such exercises take place regularly between us. For last two months, our ships like INS Sahyadri have visited Guam, Hawaii etc places,” one defence ministry official said.

According to the official, such Naval ships are docked at government operated ports to provide them comfortable berths and an ease of movement for sailors as the Naval dockyard would have several restrictions.


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