Africa-Press – Cape verde. The ocean patrol vessel NRP Sines will be in Cape Verde between 4 and 16 May, as part of the Open Sea initiative, the Defence Attaché at the Portuguese Embassy in Praia announced this Thursday.
According to a press release, as part of the cooperation activities in the field of defence, naval diplomacy and support for the State’s foreign policy, the vessel will be in the archipelago with a scheduled visit to the port of Praia, from 5 to 9 May, as part of the Open Sea Initiative 2025.
The Open Sea Initiative emerged in 2008 as a response by the Portuguese State to the maritime insecurity observed in a specific maritime space, the Gulf of Guinea.
“This initiative materialises the fulfilment of the international commitments undertaken by Portugal, through actions to support the development of a culture of maritime security and the strengthening of associated capabilities within the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) and other countries of the Gulf of Guinea (GdG)”, the statement reads.
Based on the document, it is worth highlighting, among other activities, the participation in Exercise Obangame Express, taking place in Zone G of the Yaoundé Architecture, as well as the development of cooperation and diplomatic activities between Portugal and the visited States, in support of foreign policy and national defence.
This operation, according to the same source, also contributes to the integrated cooperative security effort of the international community, in particular the European Union (EU), within the scope of the Coordinated Maritime Presences (PMC) along the African coast.
The ship departed from the Lisbon Naval Base on 14 August for a mission that will last around four months, with visits to 12 countries, including all Portuguese-speaking African countries, and a sailing distance of around 20,000 nautical miles.
The NRP Sines is commanded by Lieutenant-Captain Vitor Manuel da Silva Santos and has a total of 59 military personnel on board (13 officers, 14 sergeants and 32 enlisted men), including a marine security team, a diving team and a team for operating unmanned aerial systems.
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