The Royal Navy warship HMS Portland had a busy visit to Rotterdam to support World Port Days where the ship was open to 20,000 visitors.
Included in the visitors were two wedding parties, the first happy couple were Maren and Remco who had been looking for a different location for some wedding photos. HMS Portland was happy to oblige. The second wedding was Jan and Anita Van Namen, it was poignant for Jan whose son is in the Dutch Navy.
Leading Seaman Andrew Hallimond helped host the wedding parties. He said: “This is yet another one of those unusual experiences that makes a career in the Navy great fun. It was a pleasure to be able to wish the happy couples well on their first day of married life.”
The crew also visited Arnhem and Amsterdam and enjoyed sporting netball and hockey fixtures against local teams.
Lieutenant John Richardson (trainee principal warfare officer) said,” It was unbelievable to have so many visitors during the short visit, the ship’s company worked really hard to host the friendly Dutch visitors. The evening firework display which took place over the harbour was spectacular.”
Hundreds of thousands of visitors attend the World Port Days every year. During this maritime weekend the Netherlands celebrate the port city of Rotterdam and all it has to offer through a huge variety of maritime displays and activities.
HMS Portland is one of 13 Type 23, Duke Class frigates serving in the Royal Navy. The Type 23 frigate is the mainstay of the surface fleet in the modern Royal Navy. The frigate is a fast, manoeuvrable craft, required to scout ahead of the main fleet and is, in comparison with similar sized ships serving in other navies, heavily armed.
