Posted: 10/01/2009
Seabees and equipment assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3, based in Rota, Spain, are transported to shore in Monrovia, Liberia by amphibious landing craft from the Dutch Africa Partnership Station platform HNLMS Johan de Witt L 801. Seabees are in Liberia to rebuild the Liberian Coast Guard base destroyed by factional groups in the country's 2005 civil war. Johan De Witt is the first European led Africa Partnership Station platform and is augmented by staff from Belgium, Portugal and the U.S. Africa Partnership Station, originally a U.S. Navy initiative, is now an international effort aimed at improving maritime safety and security on the African continent through training and other collaborative activities with African partner countries.