Argentine ship calls on Tanjung Priok

JAKARTA (JP): The Argentine Navy frigate training ship A.R.A. Libertad arrived yesterday on port call as part of a goodwill mission, the ship's commander Capt. Edgardo Campiantico told journalists, moments after the ship berthed in Tanjung Priok harbor.

Campiantico said the round-the-world mission was also designed to enrich his cadets' knowledge and experience.

"This is our first visit to Indonesia. We feel so delighted because Indonesia is far from Argentina and we are floating ambassadors," he said. "And the trip has developed our naval military midshipmen and sailors' morale, mentality, physical strength and skills."

The commander said that Libertad's planned visits to 21 ports in 17 countries is a source of practical study for the cadets who are mostly under 25 years of age and in their final year of training.

The 3,765-ton, 103.7-meter long frigate carries 24 officers, 65 midshipmen and 178 petty officers and sailors.

Launched on May 30, 1956, from Rio Santiago dockyard, Libertad joined the Argentine Navy in 1963 and has since been the only training sailing ship built entirely in Argentina.

The planned 32,000-mile journey is the 31st for Libertad, but will be the third round-the-world tour. It left Buenos Aires on January 14 this year and is scheduled to arrive back to the Argentine capital on Oct. 1.

Saying that the journey had been smooth, the captain noted that the long journey would be a challenge for the cadets and that they "only have troubles when visiting non-Spanish speaking countries,"

No female cadets are included on the trip because the Argentine naval force only allows female members to work on land.

The ship, berthed at Pier 3, is open to the public, with visiting hours set between 2:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Libertad will depart from Priok next Tuesday, on its way to Singapore, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Italy, Monaco, Spain, and smaller states in the Atlantic. (10)