April 29 (UPI) -- Two Coast Guard cutters arrived in Greece for a routine logistics visit Thursday, the Navy announced.
The arrival of the USCGC Charles Moulthrope and USCGC Robert Goldman in Athens marks the cutters' third stop on a deployment that began earlier in April.
"For 200 years, the United States and Greece have stood shoulder-to-shoulder to uphold our shared democratic values and promote peace and stability in the region," U.S. Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey R. Pyatt said in a Navy press release.
"Maritime ties have been at the heart of that relationship, starting with the relief ships that sailed from New England to Greece in the 1820s, and continuing to the global partnership today between the USCG and Greek shipping," Pyatt said.
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Pyatt also said the stop allowed U.S. Coast Guard members to interact with the Hellenic Coast Guard and Greek ministries before a planned underway exercise.
"Moulthrope and Goldman's operations follow the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower's visit to Souda Bay and work with the Hellenic Navy and Air Force," said Rear Adm. Wayne Baze, director, Maritime Headquarters, U.S. Sixth Fleet.
"This dedicated, steady partnership demonstrates our shared commitment to security and stability across the entire maritime operations spectrum," Baze said.
The Eisenhower performed training maneuvers with the Greek navy last summer as part of a record-breaking deployment of 192 days at sea without a port call.
The two Sentinel-class cutters left Puerto Rico in early April, with an ultimate destination of Manama, Bahrain, which will be their home port.
They are the first two of six Sentinel-class ships headed to U.S. Patrol Forces Southwest Asia, which was established in 2002.
In February the Coast Guard conducted passing exercises with the Greek guided-missile frigate HS Hydra.
