MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

HMS Lancaster visits Colombia to participate in the multinational exercise Unitas

The Queen’s frigate helping to build stronger links in Latinamerica and the Caribbean

The Royal Navy warship HMS Lancaster has visited Colombia to strengthen relationships with the country. The vessel called at the port of Cartagena ahead of Exercise Unitas, a multinational exercise being played out in the region headed by the US Navy.

The ship entered the port, an old Spanish fortress, with a 21-gun salute, which the Colombian Navy returned, before going on to host two defense and security industry days with several British defense companies represented.

In addition, the Type 23 frigate also hosted hundreds of visitors during ship tours and capability demonstrations. Sailors from the Colombian Naval College, as well as seamen from other ships taking part in Exercise Unitas, were given the opportunity to explore the Queen’s Frigate, as HMS Lancaster is known, seeing how she works and carries out her business.

The ship also had the opportunity to host a reception for admirals from the Colombian and US navies as well as other ships taking part in Exercise Unitas.

During the day a team of 8 Lancaster sailors put their skills to good use and visited a school on Tierra Bomba Island as part of a community relations project. Over the years the school had degraded but Lancaster’s ship’s company set to work early in the morning to give it a fresh lick of paint that will last for years.

The Commanding Officer of HMS Lancaster, Commander Steve Moorhouse, said it was a great honor to visit Colombia.

“Our links with the Colombians are growing stronger each year and to be able to exercise together and discuss future shipbuilding projects and developing capabilities has been hugely beneficial”.

“The presence of a number of other South and Central American navies together with US and Canadian units also makes Exercise Unitas a wonderful vehicle for Lancaster to exercise and maintain her core skills while highlighting the Royal Navy’s presence in the region”.

The ship has integrated with numerous North, South and Central American countries, all nations that Lancaster may well work alongside in her continued fight against drugs in the Caribbean.

The visit also provided HMS Lancaster’s ship’s company with an opportunity to explore the historic city of Cartagena, with its stunning architecture and Hispanic way of life.

Lancaster will now continue to visit Caribbean and Commonwealth countries in order to conduct regional defense engagement, train with other navies and demonstrate the Royal Navy’s continued commitment to the region. (RN News).