On Friday 25th June, 2021 the Belgian Navy Command & Support Ship BNS GODETIA A 960 returned to Zeebrugge, Belgium after she completed her final deployment after spending 5 months patrolling the North Sea and the Baltic.
2 x Alouette III helicopters escorted BNS GODETIA as she entered Zeebrugge docks marking an end for both assets. The crew were greeted by family members and loved ones. There were also no fewer than three marriage proposals made on the quayside, all of which were accepted.
BNS GODETIA A 960 was commissioned on 2nd June 1966 after she was launched on 7th December 1965 built at Boelwerf in Temse, Belgium. She was decommissioned last 26th June, 2021 after 55 years of Golden Service. In 2024 the Belgian Navy will take delivery of new MCM (Mine Counter Measures” vessels. These have the space and facilities to house their own command facilities.
She often carried out missions far from home, such as those of the coast of West Africa. The ship also took part in Operation Triton in 2015 and was able to rescue 645 illegal immigrants from the Mediterranean Sea.
Her last deployment got underway at the end of January and BNS GODETIA to the North and Baltic Sea as a command and supply vessels to the ships taking part in NATO mine sweeping operation.
Decommissioning ceremony was held in Zeebrugge on Thursday 1st July. This will mark the official end of the GODETIA’s 55 year career as a Belgian Navy ship. Under her own power she left her home port Zeebrugge in the morning of 15th September 2021 and in the afternoon she arrived at Ghent , to be broken up.
During her long life BNS GODETIA A 960 sailed 816,617.7 nautical miles. This is the equivalent of circumnavigating the globe almost 38 times.
Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli otherwise stated. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Thursday 4th November ,2021
