ORAN, Algeria –
The civilian and naval crew of the USNS Trenton are honored to visit the port city of Oran from November 7 to 9 on a friendship stopover, as a show of continued U.S. partnership and goodwill with the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. The visit marks the first time a U.S. naval vessel has visited the port of Oran in several decades. This same vessel previously docked at the Port of Algiers from July 4 to 6 this year to celebrate the anniversaries of Algerian and U.S. independence.
During the visit, Algerian officers conducted ship tours of the USNS Trenton, where U.S. and Algerian sailors shared knowledge and exchanged experience with each other in view of advancing bilateral cooperation. American sailors from the USNS Trenton also appreciated the opportunity to visit the city of Oran and to learn more about Algerian culture and history.
"We are excited to visit Oran and spend some time in this beautiful Algerian port city," said Cmdr. Damon Bateson, Trenton's military detachment (MILDET) officer in charge. He noted, "This visit will strengthen relations between the U.S. and our Algerian partners as we work together to ensure security and stability in the Mediterranean Sea."
The USNS Trenton is a high-speed, shallow draft ship with the capability to deliver operationally ready units to flexibly support a wide range of missions including humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, theater security cooperation, and maritime domain awareness. It is crewed by civilian mariners, with military personnel embarking as required by the mission.