US Navy vessel USS Porter in third Batumi port visit
USS Porter pulled into Batumi port earlier on Tuesday. Photo via US Naval Forces Europe-Africa/US 6th Fleet.
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USS Porter, a United States Navy destroyer, is on its third visit to Georgia's Black Sea port city Batumi, as the ship's docking on Tuesday was welcomed by Georgian officials and the US Embassy in the country.
Part of the US Naval Forces Europe-Africa and the 6th Fleet, the latest visit of the ship follows moorings in the harbour last year and in 2015. The US Navy said the Batumi docking was done during the ship's operation in manoeuvres alongside the fleet's NATO partners Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia David Zalkaliani welcomed the destroyer with a tweet noting the "dynamic security cooperation" between the two states showcased by the visit and mentioning the importance of the Black Sea regional security.
Welcome back #USSPorter! The third visit to Batumi showcases ???????????????? dynamic security cooperation, underlines importance of the #BlackSea for Euro- Atlantic security, and promotes regional peace and stability. https://t.co/dMlB8PsEFS
— David Zalkaliani (@DZalkaliani) June 23, 2020
"We are happy to welcome the USS Porter back to the Black Sea and the beautiful port of Batumi for its third visit to conduct maritime security operations and enhance regional maritime stability, combined readiness, and naval capability with our NATO allies and partners in the region," a social media message by the US Embassy in Tbilisi said.
Happening now, ???????? @USNavy #USSPorter pulls into Batumi, Georgia ???????? for a brief stop for fuel during its time in the #BlackSea operating alongside our @NATO allies & partners ???????????????????????????????????????? in the region!
— U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet (@USNavyEurope) June 23, 2020
.@usingeo @USAandEurope @StateDept pic.twitter.com/BfA4NvCOfc
An Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, USS Porter has a displacement of 9,000 tonnes and is manned by about 280 crew. Equipped with cruise, anti-air and anti-submarine missiles, it also boasts torpedoes, gun armament and electronic warfare systems. Two Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters can also base their operations from the decks of the ship.
Forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, Porter has been deployed in a multi-mission role in the 6th Fleet area of operations to contribute to regional maritime security and conduct bilateral and multilateral training missions.
US Navy vessels have been operating in the Black Sea and docking in Georgian ports consistent with the Montreux Convention and international law.