Navy Agrees City Affiliation Ceremony

The Royal Navy will make quite a splash in Belfast this weekend as Type 23 frigate, HMS Monmouth, (pictured here) sails into the city for a special three-day visit designed to be at the heart of Belfast's Maritime Festival.

However, she will also play host to another very special reception - when the city council accepts the Royal Navy's invitation for Belfast to become affiliated to another vessel, the HMS Duncan - the last in class of the new Type 45 destroyers.

Due to be launched in October this year, HMS Duncan joins her sisters Daring, Dauntless, Diamond, Dragon and Defender in shaping the navy's future destroyer capability.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr Pat Convery, will be joined on board HMS Monmouth for the ceremony by Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland, Rear Admiral Martin Alabaster.

Councillor Convery said that Belfast was "delighted to be affiliated with HMS Duncan" and said that Belfast has a long maritime tradition, and this linkage brings this tradition into the 21st century.

"We are also proud to share this link with the City of Dundee, which has strong cultural and historical ties to this part of the world.

"The formal link with HMS Duncan will allow Belfast a platform to promote the city at home and abroad, and we look forward to working with the Royal Navy to maximise these opportunities," he said.

"We are also pleased that HMS Duncan will be calling into the Port of Belfast on a regular basis, with the economic benefits this will bring to the city.

"This continued connection with the Royal Navy, and the maritime community in general, also will prove hugely beneficial as Belfast prepares to bid for the return of the Tall Ships event in 2015."

At a ceremony on the bridge of Monmouth, the official affiliation invitation will be confirmed and accepted.

"Belfast is a progressive, vibrant and modern city, steeped in maritime history and with eyes firmly fixed on the future," said Rear Admiral Alabaster.

"And it seems to me that this rather mirrors the synergy of the Royal Navy and the Type 45 destroyers.

"We are delighted to be able to form this strong connection with Belfast and grateful that the City Council has accepted the invitation to be affiliated with HMS Duncan. I'm sure the bond will be a long and fruitful one," he said.

Meanwhile, HMS Monmouth's duties will extend to providing support to the Belfast Maritime Festival, when she will provide not only a naval backdrop to the weekend's festivities, but she will also open her gangway to local visitors on Sat June 5 and Sun June 6 from 11am to 5pm.

The ship's Commanding Officer, Commander Tony Long said: "Our maritime heritage is very important, we look forward to experiencing the festival and allowing the public to see the Royal Navy up close."

The ship has just sailed from the commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuations.

She has recently returned from a six and a half month deployment East of Suez, where she was engaged in defending the Iraqi oil platforms, counter-piracy and capacity building in the wider region.

See: Lagan Comes Alive With 'Cat' Racing

(BMcC)