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ESPS Duero joins SNMCMG2

LA SPEZIA, Italy - Spanish minehunter ESPS Duero (M35) joined Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group Two (SNMCMG2) in La Spezia on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017.

Duero is the first minehunter to join the Polish command ship ORP Kontradmirał Xawery Czernicki (511) in their common mission under the NATO flag.

The crew of the Spanish ship led by Lieutenant Commander Guillermo Felipe Tosar Hernandez was warmly welcomed by the Commander of SNMCMG2 Commander Aleksander Urbanowicz.

"I am very glad to welcome ESPS Duero to the Group contributing to growth of our capabilities. We are very much looking forward to our cooperation at sea,” said Urbanowicz. "We will combine the experience the Staff has gained in Northern Europe, including the previous deployments commanding SNMCMG1 in 2010 and 2013, with the experience of the crews from the Mediterranean, to maximize our effectiveness during our deployment,” Urbanowicz added.

During the first meetings with the Duero crew, the Staff of SNMCMG2 explained their vision of cooperation within the Group, and discussed plans for the next few weeks at sea.

"We will use the first period of the deployment for integration training within the Group, to make sure we all have a common understanding of our mission and priorities for upcoming months,” said Urbanowicz.

Both ships departed here today to begin integration training off the coast of Italy. Duero will also conduct its first mine countermeasures operations with SNMCMG2.