Navy ships gather at Simon’s Town

May 6, 2008
Author: David Erickson

As the ships from three navies – India, Brazil and South Africa, gather at the Simon’s Town Naval Base this week in preparation for several weeks of intensive exercises along the Cape coast (see separate article further down this page), we bring you this photographic essay showing the arrival of the Brazilian and Indian navy ships during the past week.

All pictures and descriptions are by David Erickson.



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Smoke drifts up Dido Valley as Simon’s Town Lower North Battery fires a 21-gun salute to welcome the Brazilian frigate F44 BNS Independência on Wednesday 30 April 2008



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Brazilian frigate F44 BNS Independência enters Simon’s Town Naval Harbour



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Brazilian frigate F41 BNS Defensora moored alongside, with the South African submarine S101 SAS Manthatisi in the foreground and South African frigate F147 SAS Spioenkop behind



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Smoke drifts up the Dido Valley again, as the Indian destroyer D62 INS Mumbai approaches Simon’s Town Naval Harbour



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Indian destroyer D62 INS Mumbai prepares to come alongside, with South African frigate F146 SAS Isandlwana to the left of the picture



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Indian corvette P64 Karmukh berthed astern of the Brazilian frigate F44 BNS Independência. The Museum Ship Cable Restorer is on the left and South African frigate F146 SAS Isandlwana is on the right



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A view across Simon’s Town Naval Harbour on Friday 2 May 2008


Ship Details

Brazilian Vessel descriptions (arrival date Wednesday 30 April 2008):

F44 BNS Independência – a Niterói Class Frigate of 3,355 standard displacement tons. Length 129.2 m, beam 13.5 m, draught 5.5 m. Gas turbine & diesel propulsion, 30 knots. Crew: 217.

F41 BNS Defensora – as above


Indian Vessel descriptions (arrival date Friday 2 May 2008)

D62 INS Mumbai – a Delhi Class Destroyer of 6,700 standard displacement tons. Length 163 m, beam 17 m, draught 6.5 m. Gas turbine & diesel propulsion, 32 knots. Crew: 360.

P64 INS Karmukh – a Kora Class Corvette of 1,350 standard displacement tons. Length 91.1 m, beam 10.5 m, draught 4.5 m. Diesel propulsion, 25 knots. Crew: 134.

All pictures David Erickson