The USS Porter Visits Batumi Port
On October 22, USS Porter (DDG 78) entered Batumi harbor. This is the ship’s second visit to Georgia. The visit highlights the continued cooperation between the US and Georgia to promote regional peace and stability.
Commander C.M. Trent was greeted by Georgian officials at the harbor and offered a traditional glass of Georgian wine. A welcoming performance of a traditional Georgian dance and song were put on for the ship’s crew. The Commander then spoke to representatives of the local press.
Commander Trent complimented Georgian hospitality, saying: “Thank you for the hospitality, thank you for the warm welcome – that was amazing. Georgia has a legendary reputation for hospitality, and you have certainly exceeded that. Thank you so much.”
After thanking Georgia for the traditional and heartwarming welcome, Commander Trent went on to talk about the symbolic significance of the ship’s name and the strong ties between the United States of America and Georgia.
“My ship is the USS Porter and, if you can see, it says ‘Freedom’s Champion.’ That is the motto of the ship, and that refers to my country’s beginnings, founded on the principles of freedom. I know that those are the principles that we share with Georgians. That is what makes our friendship strong. Our ship visit is a symbol of that friendship,” he stated.
The USS Porter’s visit not only serves official means, however, as the crew plans to participate in several official and cultural events during their stay in Batumi.
“The port visit provides American sailors an opportunity to explore local historical sites and build lasting partnerships with their Georgian Coast Guard counterparts,” reports the US Embassy in Tbilisi.
The USS Porter has a crew of 39 officers and 282 enlisted personnel. The ship’s dimensions are as follows: length 154m, beam 20m, draft 11m.
The USS Porter, forward-deployed at Naval Station Rota, Spain, is conducting naval operations in the US 6th Fleet area of operations in support of US national security interests in Europe.
The US 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance US national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.
The US Navy routinely operates ships in the Black Sea consistent with the Montreux Convention and International Law. The Ships of the United States often visit Batumi port to emphasize and celebrate the strong relations between the two countries.
In April, a different ship of the United States arrived in Batumi. The United States Ship (USS) Ross (DDG 71) arrived in Batumi for the first time for a port visit on April 21. Much like this October visit, the April one served to highlight the continued cooperation between the US and Georgia by promoting regional peace and stability.
In addition to tours of the ship, sailors from the USS Ross played a friendly soccer match with the Georgian Coast Guard, a basketball game with Maritime Academy students, and met with local youth at the American Corner in Batumi.
By Nini Dakhundaridze
Image source: U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi