On May 16 through 18 two ships of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) frigate ESPS Alvaro de Bazan (Spain) and HMS Iron Duke (UK) conduct a visit to Klaipėda Seaport.
During the visit SNMG1 Commander Admiral Jose Enrique Delgado (Spain) and commanding officers of the ships will meet with the mayor of Klaipėda and Commander of the Lithuanian Navy. Also, tribute will be paid to the soldiers of the United Kingdom killed during World War I and buried in Vitė Cemetery.
Lithuanian soldiers will be able to tour the SNMG1 ships, and the general public will be invited to open decks days on May 17.
NATO operates four standing maritime groups. Two of them, SNMG1 and SNMG2, comprise large surface battle ships, such as frigates and destroyers. The other two, SNMCMG1 and SNMCMG2, comprise mine countermeasures vessels. The digits in the names of the groups means that they operate in the Northern European waters (1) or the Southern European waters (2).
More about SNMG1: http://www.mc.nato.int/org/smg/Pages/SNMG1.aspx
POC: CIMIC Officer Lieutenant (Navy) Antanas Brencius, Lithuanian Navy , 00370 46 391 207, 00370 698 181 96
Credit: Lieutenant Junior Grade Liudas Šeputis
