(Trinidad Guardian) Tuesday was labelled an historic day in T&T with the docking of the TTS Nelson II, a large operational naval ship of T&T Defence Force.
Under the captaincy of Commander Jason Kelshall, who is the son of retired Rear Admiral Richard Kelshall, and Executive Officer, Lt Commander Akenton Isaac, the ship departed China for T&T on September 10. The elder Kelshall had captained the TTS Nelson in 2000 from England to T&T. That vessel is to be decommissioned.
From China the new vessel crossed three oceans, three seas, visited three continents and five countries in a 12,476 nautical mile journey that took 35 days and nine hours.
The vessel, which was constructed by the China Ship Building Company Ltd was commissioned in China on September 6, 2015.
Speaking afterwards, Capt Kelshall said he was proud he was chosen to bring the ship home.
“It was an honour just to be the face of my crew. My crew is brilliant, some of the best ever, my crew. I was just the face,” Kelshall said.
National Security Minister, Edmund Dillon described the vessel’s arrival as a defining moment in the life of the Defence Force (assigned to the T&T Coast Guard).
He confirmed the vessel was one that was ordered by the previous government and assured that his administration would continue to rebuild T&T’s national security apparatus and fill in the gaps in the current security architecture.
“We will not simply abandon the capacity that has been put in place in the past. We will not act hastily in our review of our country’s national security assets and capacity.
This will not be our modus operandi. We are a responsible Government,” Dillon said.