A Portuguese ship in the Gulf of Guinea is preparing to receive soldiers from Sao Tome and Principe.

Three months after arriving in Sao Tome and Principe, the Portuguese ship Centauro has completed 170 hours of navigation, participated in search and rescue operations and is preparing to take on board Sao Tome military personnel.

This inspection boat arrived in Sao Tome and Principe on May 7, replacing NRP Zaire, which returned to Lisbon after five years of mission in that country.

The purpose of this distinguished national force, which includes NRP Centauro and 13 Portuguese soldiers (all men), is to “support and train the Coast Guard of Sao Tome and Principe to inspect the maritime spaces” under its jurisdiction, since one of the dangers in the Guinean region bay is maritime piracy.

Speaking to Lusa aboard the ship anchored in the Port of Sao Tome, NRP Centauro Commander Luis Rodriguez noted that the ship has so far completed “170 hours of navigation and about 1,500 miles”, searches for operations and rescue and two for logistics. -technical support with trips to the Autonomous Region of Principe.

“So far we have not had the need to take any action to combat piracy or any other kind,” but the Portuguese military is “ready for this kind of action,” the second lieutenant emphasized.

As for the search and rescue operation, it involved a fisherman who ran out of fuel and could not return to land.

“We searched for three days, but, unfortunately, could not find him. But, fortunately, he later appeared in the waters of Nigeria, having been rescued and returned to his country of origin,” he said.

According to the commander, the Centauro soldiers “go to sea every week” for training and travel monthly to the island of Principe.

The ship also makes “periodic voyages for the training of the garrison, as well as training and education through the exercises of the military personnel of Sao Tome”.

In the future, it is planned to “integrate the military personnel of Sao Tome on board the Centauro with the aim of forming a mixed garrison in which the ship will be controlled” from soldiers from both countries, Luis Rodrigues said.

“This integration is a special training for the development of functions here on board and is aimed at empowering these soldiers and training them so that in the future they can manage naval assets with more capabilities than they currently have. , guaranteeing safety in navigation. in the maritime territory of Sao Tome,” the commander explained.

On land, the Portuguese military conducts training and training for the São Tomé Coast Guard and provides “advice in various fields, navigational safety, ship and outboard maintenance, boarding and communications”. “.

“We also have a soldier from the Portuguese Marine Boarding Platoon who is conducting theoretical and practical training at the military training center in Sao Tome and Principe for the boarding and security team,” the official said.

In the roughly three months of this distinguished national force’s mission, the second lieutenant emphasized the “exchange of experience” and noted that the “feedback” was positive on both sides.”

“This cooperation is always beneficial, it is unique and special in terms of cooperation between the two Portuguese-speaking countries, contributing to the safety of navigation in the maritime spaces of Sao Tome and the overall security of the Gulf of Guinea,” he said. .

The Portuguese military also interacts and trains with soldiers from other foreign navies in the region, as is the case with the Brazilian frigate Liberal.

This mission “does not currently have an end date” so the ship will remain in Sao Tome and Principe and soldiers can be replaced at the end of their tour of duty, typically every six months.

The NRP Centauro, whose armament has been reinforced for this type of mission (one 20 mm OERLIKON cannon, two 12.7 mm Browning machine guns and two 7.62 mm MG3 machine guns), reaches a maximum speed of 26 knots and can swim in succession for five days.

In July, the Centauro crossed the equator, becoming the first Navy inspection boat to do so.

The NRP Centauro (built in 2000) replaced the patrol vessel Zaire which was also operated by a mixed crew of 23 Portuguese and 14 Sao Tome troops.

In more than five years of mission in Sao Tome and Principe to strengthen the inspection of the sea of ​​​​Sao Tome and the Gulf of Guinea, this vessel has traveled more than 37 thousand miles, conducted 19 search and rescue operations, 31 joint inspection operations, 13 maritime security activities in piracy conditions, eight inspections of ships at sea, and participation in several international exercises, the Navy detailed at the time.

Navy Chief of Staff Enrique Gouveia e Melo was in the capital Sao Tome in July to formalize the end of the NRP Zaire mission. At the time, he stated that this ship would be replaced by another “faster one with a greater ability to act faster in emergencies.”