US warship to dock in Trinidad on Sunday
Container operations at the Port of Port-of-Spain will be suspended on several berths from October 26-30 to accommodate the USS Gravely (DDG-107), a United States Navy vessel scheduled to arrive here on Sunday.
This was confirmed last evening in a release by the Ministry of Caricom and Foreign Affairs, which also revealed that the 22nd US Marine Expeditionary Unit will conduct joint training with the T&T Defence Force (TTDF) during the same period.
The versatile US warship, with a crew of approximately 300 sailors, is capable of performing a range of missions, including anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare and is equipped with a five-inch cannon and vertical launching systems for missiles.
The ministry said the visit by the USS Gravely will strengthen US-T&T military-to-military cooperation through expert exchanges focused on core infantry tactics, maintenance procedures and advanced medical capabilities, leveraging the TTDF’s facilities to enhance tactical proficiency and enhance mutual trust.
“These efforts strengthen interoperability, reinforce long-term defence cooperation, and improve operational readiness among partner forces,” the ministry added.
The development comes amid heightened US military presence in the Caribbean, where the Donald Trump administration has deployed air and naval forces to counter what it calls threats from Latin American drug cartels.
The Kamla Persad Bissessar administration in Port-of-Spain has strongly supported the move while denying it is part of any coordinated efforts to depose the Nicolas Maduro regime in neighbouring Venezuela.
