U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer James E. Williams docks in Odesa

14:16, 29.11.2017 1 min read

The Arleigh-Burke class AEGIS guided missile destroyer James Williams DDG95 of the U.S. Navy has docked in Odesa, Ukraine's Navy press center said on Wednesday.

"We expect the vessel to remain until approximately December 2. Ukraine's navy places great importance on the visit of the vessel, considering it to be a sign of continuing support to Ukraine," the navy's press center said on its Facebook page.

The vessel deployed from its homeport in Norfolk, Virginia on May 23 and has been sailing in both the Navy’s 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation. According to the 1936 Montreux Convention, the international agreement regulating sea traffic through the Bosporus Strait, James E. Williams can only remain in the Black Sea for a maximum of 21 days. When the ship left Norfolk in May, the crew expected to be home for Christmas, according to news reports.

The last U.S. Navy ship to visit the Black Sea was USS Porter (DDG-78), which departed on September 1 after finishing the Operation Atlantic Resolve exercise in August.