AOR ‘Cantabria’ returns to Ferrol after having participated in the SNMG-1 deployment in the Baltic and North Seas

Last March 9^th, the auxiliary oiler and replenishment ship (AOR) ‘Cantabria’ returned to her home port in Ferrol (NW Spain) after having integrated into NATO’s Standing Group number 1 (SNMG-1).

The ‘Cantabria’ deployed along with the F-100 frigate ‘Almirante Juan de Borbón’ which now operates as flagship of the Group until the beginning of July. They both participated in this NATO’s largest joint exercise in decades: the ‘SEADFAST DEFENDER 2024’.

During the AOR’s three-month deployment, Spain in general and the Spanish Navy in particular, has underlined its commitment with the Alliance’s collective defense and deterrent policies.

Her ample logistic capabilities warranted the permanent deployment of all participating units as she supplied fuel, provisions and the necessary spare parts. Up to five nations profited from the resources offered by the ‘Cantabria’. The replenishment operations were conducted by day and by night, many of them in adverse weather conditions. The ‘Cantabria’ also offered medical and dental support thanks to her ad-hoc facilities.

During three days of the deployment, two media networks embarked (the US NEWSMAX and the Romanian ANTENA1) taking photos and videos of the different capabilities of the ship, resulting in a series of reports broadcasted by both media. These reports contributed to disseminate the endeavors carried out by the ship, the Spanish Navy and the different NATO warships in this type of deployments.

In different stages of the deployment, the ‘Cantabria’ visited the ports of Wilhelmshaven (Germany), Kláipeda (Lithuania), Stavanger (Norway), Southampton (England) and Edinburgh (Scotland).