Operation PROMENADE

International Information

International Operation Name: PROMENADE

International Mission Name: PROMENADE

Mandating Organization: Government of Canada

Region Name: Middle East

Location: Persian Gulf

Mission Date: 9 February 1995 - 1 May 1995

Canadian Forces (CF) Information (PROMENADE)

Canadian Task Force Name Mission Statement: To assist in the promotion of Canadian technology at various locations in Persian Gulf states

CF Mission/Operation Notes: The government of Canada, and specifically the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, had been considering the use of a Canadian Patrol Frigate as a means to showcase Canadian technology and support Canadian trade initiatives. The location for this showcase would be the Arabian Gulf, where Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were considering purchases of naval vessels.

Operation PROMENADE had originally been scheduled for the summer of 1994; however it was delayed. HMCS Fredericton received word of her upcoming deployment on 13 January 1995. Departing on 9 February, Fredericton sailed to the Mediterranean Sea, stopping in Souda Bay, Greece from 21 to 27 February to perform routine maintenance, including an overall painting of the ship.

Fredericton’s first official duties as a trade representative for Canada were in Kuwait City from 12 to 16 March. Here she hosted a number of official functions for Saint John Shipbuilding Limited (SJSL) and the Canadian Embassy in Kuwait, as well as conducting a day-sail for Kuwaiti VIPs. The next stop was in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), from 18 to 24 March where she participated in the annual International Defence Exhibition and again acted as host for SJSL and Canadian Embassy functions.

Although originally intended as a rest and relaxation port, Fredericton’s visit to Dubai, UAE, (24 to 27 March) included the obligatory functions. Canadians living in Dubai enjoyed the ship’s hospitality and invited many sailors to spend the day with them or attend a desert barbecue. Enroute to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 5 April Fredericton responded to a distress call from the 15 metre sailing vessel Longo Barda off the Somali coast. The sailing boat, which was returning to Britain from a sailing race in Australia, was under attack from pirates. As it happened, the container ship Maersk Antwerp arrived on the scene first and forced the pirates to withdraw.

The final official visit for the showcase was in Jeddah, from 8 to 10 April. After spending five days in Haifa, Israel, Fredericton headed back to Halifax on 17 April stopping briefly in Naples to pick up the conference table for the G7 Summit, being held in Canada in 1995. The ship returned to Halifax on 1 May.