3 months in the Baltic Sea. That is the outlook for HMS Snellius, which set sail yesterday. The ship is relieving HMS Luymes in the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG) 1, a NATO fleet.

SNMCMG1 has the task of neutralizing explosives at sea. Furthermore, it must prevent sabotage of underwater infrastructure. This includes the many cables running across the seabed. This operation is conducted under the name Baltic Sentry.

The Snellius can provide significant support for these tasks. It is a hydrographic survey vessel. It maps changes in the seabed of busy shipping lanes. The ship has previously done this primarily in the North Sea and the Caribbean. Now it is doing so for NATO in the Baltic Sea. The Snellius is also participating in exercises in an international context.