GRMAN NAVAL SHIP ENDS VISIT (PAGE 28, MARCH 31, 2010)

A German Naval Ship, Brandenburg-Class Frigate, which berthed at the Tema Port on Thursday for a three-day visit has departed for Funchal, Portugal.
The ship is a member of the task force operating to further NATO’s active endeavour to strengthen international security and relationship
The ship, which has visited Simon’s Town and Cape Town ports in South Africa, Egypt, Valencia, Santa Cruz de Tenerife in Spain as part of its 2010 programme launch aimed at improving the training standards of its personnel, is also set to visit selected ports in Europe and the Middle East. Briefing newsmen on board the vessel at the Tema Port, Commanding Officer Marco von Kolln said countries the world over were recording changing patterns in terms of politics, social and economic migration, thereby intensifying high economic possibilities, as well as soaring crime rates.
‘It is for these reasons that the German Military Services were developing approaches known as the “Ambassadors in Blue’, aimed at intensifying friendship and cooperation with the countries visited”, Mr Kolln said.
The vessel, which is on a five-month voyage across 11 countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, would also provide training for four African navies from South Africa, Egypt, Namibia and Ghana.
The training, which combines the use of state-of-the-art equipment with special emphasis on classical seafaring and technical module, according to Mr Kolln, was to equip personnel with exquisite knowledge on the different types of maritime operations.
It would provide logistic support and refurbishment for the Ghanaian Navy ships which were built in Germany.