Four NATO Ships Make Port Call in Poti

Four NATO ships, assigned to the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2), arrived on a four-day port call in Poti on Georgia’s Black Sea coast today.

The maritime group, which includes the Royal Netherlands Navy’s HNLMS Evertsen, Turkish TCG Yildirim, Bulgarian BGS Drazki, and Romanian ROS Regele Ferdinand, is led by Boudewijn Boots, Commander of NATO’s SNMG2.

#SNMG2 enters the Black Sea for a #NATO deployment in which we exercise with Allies and Partners. #Evertsen, #SantaMaria, #Toronto, #Drazki, #Yildirim and #RegeleFerdinand are looking forward to exercise #SeaShield and to our work with our Ukrainian and Georgian partners. pic.twitter.com/Ytspjus5pt

— Boudewijn Boots (@BoudewijnBoots) March 28, 2019

The vessels will leave Poti port on April 4, and their crews will train with the Georgian Coast Guard’s two U.S.-gifted Island-class patrol boats, aiming to increase interoperability between Georgia and the NATO.

Governor of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Alexandre Motserelia said welcoming the visit, that the port call once again underscores Georgia’s NATO aspirations, and is important for the country’s further security.

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