Hellenic Navy Academy training vessel docks in Corfu again this year
CORFU. The landing ship ΄Chios΄ has docked at Corfu Port.
Corfu was once again a stop for the Hellenic Navy Petty Officers Academy (SMYN) Summer Training Cruise this year. On Monday morning, August 5, the Hellenic Navy landing ship L173 Chios arrived at the island's port. This year's training cruise for the petty officer cadets began on Thursday, July 18, with the related ceremony taking place at the Salamis Naval Base, in the presence of the Fleet Commander.
As stated in the relevant announcement by the Hellenic Navy General Staff, the purpose of the Summer Training Cruise is practical onboard training, the acquisition of maritime experience by the Petty Officer Cadets, as well as the demonstration of the flag and the projection of the Hellenic Navy in various Mediterranean ports where Chios is scheduled to dock.
Previous occasions when Corfu was a stop for the SMYN Summer Training Cruise were in 2019 with the landing ship L175 Ikaria and in 2023 with the landing ship L174 Samos (both sister ships of Samos).
The landing ship L173 Chios is the second of the five ships of the 'Jason' programme, which were built at the Elefsis Shipyards after being ordered by the Ministry of National Defence. It was launched on December 16, 1988, and delivered to the Hellenic Navy on May 30, 1996. These types of landing ships were designed in Greece by the Hellenic Navy in collaboration with the National Technical University of Athens and the Elefsis Shipyards.
It has a length of 116 metres, a width of 15.3 metres, a draft of 3.4 metres, and a displacement of 4,400 tons.
GERASIMOS MARTINIS
