Brisbane gave a warm welcome to RSS Persistence recently when the Singaporean Navy ship made a port call en route to a joint Australian and Singaporean Exercise being conducted off the coast of Queensland. The Commanding Officer Naval Headquarters South Queensland, Commander Peter Tedman, said the city was a popular stop over for visiting ships.
“Brisbane provided the Singapore Navy with the ideal location to transfer personnel and equipment arriving from Singapore and a great place for some ‘R&R’.
“Our staff were also able to provide a briefing to the crew on arrival as well as provide logistic support throughout their stay,” he said.
Commander Tedman said he also had the honour of escorting Colonel Thng Chee Meng, Commander of the Royal Singapore Navy Amphibious Squadron, and Lieutenant Colonel Sylvan Sumanthiran, Commanding Officer RSS Persistence, on an call to Government House where they presented a Squadron plaque to the Queensland Governor which was followed by an official lunch on board Persistence as guests of Colonel Thng.
“RSS Persistence then proceeded to Exercise WALLABY/TRITON in Shoalwater Bay, a joint Exercise involving 5,000 personnel from the Australian Defence Force and Singaporean Armed Forces.
“This year’s exercise was the first of the series to include a bi-lateral Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise.
“It has provided both of our defence forces with a great opportunity to test our response to a natural disaster in Northern Queensland modelled on the 2010 Tsunami and to build even stronger ties with one of most valued allies,” Commander Tedman said.
Persistence is also scheduled to visit Townsville and Cairns before returning to Singapore.
Press Release; Image: Australian Navy