-Published: Monday, November 11, 2019-

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The the U.S. Navy's Cincinnati has arrived at the port of Golfito on the southern Pacific coast of the country.

The U.S. Embassy organized a presentation of the ship to the media Friday morning with an hour-long guided tour inside the ship.

According to the embassy Michael Soto, minister of Security, along with several members of the Legislative Assembly visited the ship, "to learn more about the capabilities of this vessel and how it could cooperate with Costa Rica in various missions, including humanitarian aid."

The U.S. Navy ship, "is docked at the port of Golfito to refuel and food," said the embassy. "This vessel is used to provide humanitarian assistance, search and rescue operations and combat illegal trafficking of people, weapons and drugs."

According to the embassy, the USS Cincinnati is the fifth ship of the Navy that honors the third-largest city in Ohio. The first to bear this name was an iron clad vessel that was used during the Civil War and was sunk by Confederate fire during the attack on Fort Pillow, raised and sunk again during the siege of Vicksburg. The boat was raised a second time and served out the war.

The second Cincinnati was a commissioned cruise ship in 1894 that served in the Caribbean before during and after the Spanish-American war before being taken it out of service in 1919.

The third vessel that carried this name was a light cruiser commissioned in 1924 that served around the world and obtained a battle star for its service in World War II that included convoy escort and blocking duty. This vessel was decommissioned in 1945 when the war ended.

The fourth Cincinnati was a Los Angeles-class rapid attack submarine, commissioned in 1978. The ship served for 17 years before being taken out of service in 1995.

"This ship is a symbol of the strong connection between the people of Cincinnati and the work teams of the Navy and the Marines," said Richard V. Spencer, the secretary of the Navy, who added that the boat is a sign of the commitment to increase the fleet and the alliance with the industry and the Americans.

This ship is modular and reconfigurable, designed to operate on the coastlines and in the open sea. It can respond to evolving threats through integration with innovative mine search technology, depth probe and surface engagement, said the Navy. The ship satisfies a vital need for the U.S. Naval to operate in shallow waters and offshore, officials added.

Seventy officers and enlisted personnel make up the Cincinnati crew, which has its home base in San Diego, California.

The warship is an Independence-class littoral combat vessel. It has an unusual shape dominated by a helicopter landing pad.

Congress approved the request for docking and a port stay and liberty for the crew of the Cincinnati Oct. 15.

The ship commander has the option to extend the stay until Dec. 15, according to the statement sent to Congress by the Ministry of Public Security.

Under Costa Rican law, Congress must approve the docking of any foreign warships.

According to Congress, the ship has the purpose of refueling and take on other supplies, as well as giving rest to the crew and exchanging experiences with the authorities of the Ministry of Security, related to the joint patrol agreement that is regulated by law.

According to the government, the joint patrol agreement between Costa Rica and the United States has the goal of suppressing illicit drug trafficking and was approved as Law No. 7929 and has been in force since Oct. 28, 1999.

The legal agreement contemplates the entry of U.S. vessels to Costa Rican waters to intercept ships suspected of drug trafficking as well as to capture their occupants.

The approval of this agreement took place after the court indicated some modifications that should be made to the original text so that the final text did not violate national sovereignty.

Within the scope of this international cooperation agreement is the supply of equipment, as well as information to the Costa Rican authorities to carry out a more effective fight against drug trafficking.

Also, the contract has provided the country with a valuable tool in the fight against other crimes, such as trafficking and trafficking in persons in Costa Rican waters, said the government.

Similarly, by receiving more resources for the National Coast Guard Service, the country has achieved better compliance with its maritime legislation, since the service has been able to carry out greater control of crimes such as illegal fishing, the government said.

Coast Guard authorities have been able to improve their ability to carry out search and rescue operations, both for fishermen and tourists who are victims of a mishap at sea, the government added.


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Should the authorities authorize the arrival of more ships from the U.S. Navy in Costa Rica?  We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com