Relations bolstered by Jeddah visit
28 May 2010 By LEUT Brenton Thompson
HMAS Parramatta (Commander Heath Robertson, RAN) called in to Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia, for a regional engagement visit during her MEAO Deployment in May. Relations between the Australian and Saudi Arabian navies were boosted by the visit, with the Saudi's proving to be excellent hosts. Jeddah, which is the largest port on the Red Sea and the gateway for thousands of Muslims making pilgrimage to Mecca each year, provided an excellent opportunity to interact with the Saudi Navy. Such events are likely to become more common in future as multi-national forces increasingly work together to deter terrorism and piracy in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
CMDR Robertson met with the Commander of the Saudi Western Fleet and the Ship's company were treated to tours of the area, including a local market (souq) and a major modern shopping centre. A highlight of the visit was the opportunity to operate with Royal Saudi Naval Ships His Majesty’s Ships Maccah and Hofouf—two of the Saudi Navy's major surface combatants. The three warships conducted manoeuvres in the Red Sea and flying operations with one of the Saudi Navy's Dauphin Helicopters.
Personnel from Parramatta were keen to visit the Royal Saudi Navy School and tour Saudi warships with constructive discussions on training techniques and seamanship a key feature of the visit. A friendly soccer match between Parramatta and the Saudi Western Fleet team was an excellent opportunity for the two navies to interact and socialise.
The visit was also an opportunity for Parramatta's crew to experience the traditional Arabian culture—a first for many. Female members of the crew enjoyed immersing themselves in the local culture, wearing the traditional abeyya dress when ashore in Jeddah. "It was a really positive experience, everyone was quite friendly and treated us very well. The abeyyas provide some relief from the desert heat and it was great to fit in with the locals" said ABSTD Tammy-Lee Daniel.
HMAS Parramatta is deployed to the MEAO working under CTF 150 and CTF 151, conducting counter-terrorism and anti-piracy operations. Parramatta will continue their patrols in the region and is looking forward to future engagement opportunities with regional partners.
