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I know I’ve written on this subject before, but take a look at the line-up for Germany’s Kiel Week this year.
Kiel week is the equivalent of Cowes and Navy Days combined, and funnily enough was established by the Kaiser in an attempt to instil an English-style affinity with the sea into German society. But looking at the line up, it has far exceeded the scale of Navy Days in the UK. The last few have been pretty woeful, even for British vessels. At the last Navy Days in Portsmouth we had two Destroyers and two Frigates, and no Foreign visitors at all. You have to wonder whether we bothered to make an effort, or we had offended too many navies? But whatever the reson, the woeful inactivity of the Royal Navy PR Department is pretty embarassing, especially in a country with acute sea-blindness.
German Navy
Schleswig-Holstein (Brandenburg class Frigate)
Ammersee (Coastal Tanker)
Spessart (Replenishment Tanker)
Spiekeroog (Ocean-going Tug)
Fehmarn (Ocean-going Tug)
Lutje Horn (Harbour Tug)
Russian Navy
Minsk (Landing Ship)
Dutch Navy
Zuiderkruis (Replenishment Ship)
De Ruyter (De Zeven Provincien class Frigate)
French Navy
Commandant L’Herminier (D’Estienne d’Ovres class Patrol vessel)
Irish Navy
Eithne (Fishery Patrol Vessel)
Estonian Navy
ENS Ugandi (Sandown Class Minesweeper, formerly HMS Bridport)
Lithuanian Navy
Suduvis (Lindau Class Minesweeper)
Jotvingis (Vidar Class Minelayer)
Polish Navy
Naklo (Gardno Class Minesweeper)
Druzno (“)
Gardno (“)
Kondor (Kobben class Submarine)
Danish Navy
Absalon (Absalon Class Frigate)
Havkatten (Flyvefisken Class Patrol Vessel)
Svanen (Sail training ship)
Thyra (Sail training ship)
Kureren (Patrol boat)
Budstikken (“)
Speditoren(“)
Royal Navy
Express (P200 Class Patrol boat)
Puncher (“)
US Navy
Mount Whitney (Command Ship)
Phillipine Sea (Ticonderoga Class Cruiser)
