On December 22nd the Spanish Navy minehunter ‘Tambre’ (M-33) returned to her home port in Cartagena (SE Spain) after more than 3 months deployed in NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG-2). With this mission, as part of her high readiness period, the ‘Tambre’ has underlined, once again, Spain’s commitment with the Alliance and with international stability and security.
The 46-strong crew of the ‘Tambre’, under command of Lt-Cdr. Juan Antonio Berjaga, has actively participated throughout the Mediterranean Sea in many maritime security tasks, warranting freedom of navigation by hunting mines or underwater explosive devices, and the surveillance of the seabed.
The ship has also been in readiness should her services be required to take part in MCM tasks in operation ‘Noble Shield’ and in support of the anti-terrorist operation ‘Sea Guardian’.
The ‘Tambre’, integrated into the Allied group under Italian command, has successfully concluded the scheduled mission. In addition to the original assignment, the minehunter has also participated in a series of international exercises like ‘Dynamic Messenger’, ‘Dynamic Mariner/Mare Aperto’, ‘Nusret’ and other, so-called, opportunity exercises with the navies of Italy, Portugal and Turkey with excellent results.
The ‘Tambre’ has returned home after 102 days at sea away from Spanish waters. This has been the seventh time the M-33 has been integrated into the SNMCMG-2.