PKW North Sea with NATO ships in Świnoujście

On 5 November, an international team of "NATO's Against Mine" vessels commanded by PKW North Sea personnel will enter the War Port in Świnoujście. The visit mainly aims to replenish supplies and provide rest to crews after an intensive week of training at sea.

Permanent Mine Defense Force Team NATO Group 1 (a.k.a. Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1, SNMCMG1) is the oldest of the four NATO ship teams, constantly operating on the European sea basins. As of 2 October 2021, the team is headed by a Navy officer of the Republic of Poland – Lieutenant Commander Michał Dziugan, who, together with the international staff, directs the team's activities. The staff's staff consists of officers and sub-commissioned officers separated from the 8th Coast Defence Fleet units supported by officers from Bulgaria, Estonia and Norway. Polish sailors aboard the flagship FGS "Elbe" formed the Polish Army North Sea quota, whose main task is to command the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1.

In addition to the German FGS Elbe, the team also operates mine destroyers: Dutch HNLMS "Vlaardingen", Norwegian HNoMS "Olav Tryggvason" and German FGS "Bad Bevensen" along with two Seahund drones.

So far, under Polish command, ships have taken part in an operation to remove the unexploded explosions from the Second World War that lay at the bottom of the North Sea. The operation under the name Beneficial Cooperation conducted in the territorial waters of the Netherlands and Belgium ended on 20 October. In addition, the team's ships visited ports in the UK: Belfast, London, Netherlands: Amsterdam, Germany: Cuxhaven and Sweden: Malmo.

The purpose of the visit to Świnoujście is to supplement ship supplies and prepare crews to carry out further tasks at sea, including joint exercises with Polish Navy Colonel Solidar Belona. The presence of the SNMCMG1 team in the Świnouński Port of War is an opportunity to deepen cooperation and exchange experience in the field of MCM (Mine Countermeasures). During the visit, working meetings will be held, among others, with Commander 8. Coast Defence Fleet and the city of Świnoujście. Crews of foreign ships will be able to get acquainted with the tourist values of the city and the region during their descent. Ships will not make their decks available to explore, due to the severe restrictions and preventive measures introduced in the group, protecting the crew against being ill with COVID-19. The visit will end on Monday 8 November.

The North Atlantic Alliance maintains four teams of ships in constant rotation service. Two of them are teams of large water vessels, mostly destroyers and rocket frigates, often supported by a supply unit or NATO Maritime Group 1 and 2. In contrast, two more are teams of mine vessels with a multitasking command ship, Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 and 2. Normally group one operates in the north of Europe, while group two operates in the south of the continent. This is one of them, for the fourth time in history, commanded by the officer of the Polish Navy – Lieutenant Commander Michał Dziugan. For the first time in history, it is held from the deck of a German ship – FGS Elbe.

The main task of NATO's Permanent Team of Against Mine Defense Forces, which is led by Poles, is to maintain the safety of navigation by searching for, detecting and destroying dangerous underwater objects. In addition, the team's important task is to demonstrate the solidarity of allied members and to carry out one of the most important common tasks, namely ensuring the safety of maritime communication routes. In this way, the team's ships form a mine defence system on sea basins known as the "Antimine Shield" for Europe.

These forces may also be directed to support anti-terrorism operations, life-saving actions and emergency response. Ship teams are among the most effective elements of the so-called response forces (NRF – NATO Response Force). Most of the time these teams spend at sea, inter alia by playing out the cooperation of their ships and participating in maneuvers with the Member States' and NATO's partner navy. On the other hand, working visits of NATO flag ships to Polish ports aim to develop friendly relations and mutual understanding of the conditions, work and equipment of seafarers. They are also used to exchange experience of carrying out tasks at sea.

Author: Mr. Grzegorz Lewandowski