Naval News & Reviews

PORT ELIZABETH TO HOST NAVY DURING ARMED FORCES DAY

SA Navy Valour class frigate, SAS Amatola F145, photographed sailing from Durban by Clinton Wyness

The navy will be arriving at Port Elizabeth in force for SANDF Armed Forces Day in mid-February when, for the first time, the event will be held at a coastal destination.

The actual Armed Forces Day is on 21 February 2016 but the navy ships will be arriving in Port Elizabeth early and according to Transnet are to be open to the general public on 13 and 14 February. A separate report however says that the ships will also be open on Saturday 12 February in addition to the two other days mentioned.

The SA Navy is sending six ships to the Eastern Cape port city.

The six ships that will be in port are the Type 209 submarine SAS Queen Modjadji, the hydrographic survey vessel SAS Protea, the patrol ship SAS Galashewe, the Valour class frigate SAS Amatola, the River class minehunter SAS Umhloti, and the combat support vessel SAS Drakensberg.

SAS Amatola has recently been returned to service after a complete refit in Durban during which her main engines were replaced.