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Homecoming for HMS St Albans nears
Sailors from HMS St Albans will be reunited with their families on Friday following six months at sea.
The Royal Navy Type-23 frigate is returning to her home port following a successful Nato deployment which included a spell in the Mediterranean.
The ship is expected to pass the Round Tower in Old Portsmouth at 9.45am.
HMS St Albans has recently completed exercise Baltops 2009 in the Baltic working alongside ships from Nato as well as other navies.
The large annual exercise brings together thousands of sailors from different countries in a response to a variety of maritime security scenarios, including search-and-rescue missions and operations to prevent arms, people and weapons smuggling.
Commander Adrian Pierce, commanding officer of HMS St Albans, said: 'A tremendously varied six months has seen St Albans and her great ship's company achieve an enormous amount in areas on all four corners of Europe and beyond.
'Building links and furthering alliances and coalitions, it has been a delight to lead such a well trained group of sailors. They have acted as ambassadors for the Royal Navy and Great Britain while continuing to strengthen maritime security and allowing mariners to sail the seas in safety.'
HMS St Albans left Portsmouth at the beginning of the year and headed for the Mediterranean to take part in the Nato's Operation Active Endeavour. In this operation Nato ships patrol the Mediterranean and monitor shipping to help detect and deter terrorists.
A few family members of the ship's company joined the frigate for two days during the deployment, giving them an opportunity to experience life at sea.
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Weather for Portsmouth
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
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