Around 2,100 sailors, US Marine Corps, US Navy commanders and other onboard crew members participated along with representatives from the Royal Saudi Navy and the Foreign Affairs Ministry in the official reception of American amphibious assault ship “USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7),” which docked at Jeddah Islamic Port on Tuesday.

US Consul General Thomas Duffy received the onboard crew led by commanding officer of the USS Iwo Jima Capt. Grady Banister over a well-attended aboard banquet.

According to Banister, the purpose of the maritime visit to Saudi Arabia was to carry out naval training with members of the Royal Saudi Navy, which is part of the US naval cooperative relationship with regional partners. He told Arab News that regional security and stability were directly linked to enhanced cooperation, understanding and collaboration with partner nations, friends and allies.

“The US and Saudi Arabia have a strong and longstanding comprehensive relationship, which includes commercial, cultural and strategic cooperation.

The US Navy has been a key pillar of this cooperation,” the captain said. “The broad-ranging US-Saudi ties were cemented aboard the USS Quincy during a meeting between King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud and President Franklin Roosevelt,” Banister added.

He noted that US naval presence in the region is the continuation of a six decade-long commitment to stand by the US partners, friends and allies, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region. “It is the cooperation from many nations that makes our mission effective; we cannot do it alone.”

Banister said that this was his second visit to Jeddah and the Kingdom. His previous one was in 1990. “I am really amazed with the tremendous boom and development Saudi Arabia has undergone throughout the past 20 years. In fact, I can see that Jeddah has become much more developed since my last visit here,” Banister said. USS Iwo Jima left the American seashores on March 27.

Since then, it made scores of stops until it finally reached Jeddah port. The US Navy staff members will do some maritime exercise with the Saudis under a training operation called “Eager Lion” that will take place along the Red Sea coast and last until May 17. The operation is a regional exercise with many partner nations, including Saudi Arabia.

There were some equipment, marine weapons and other tools on display during the ceremony, in addition to one Harrier Jump Jet, which is famous for its capability of vertical takeoff.

USS Iwo Jima was christened on March 25, 2000. It derives its name from the epic battle of February 1945 near a tiny Japanese island called Iwo Jima. It is the seventh Wasp-class multipurpose amphibious assault ship. The ship also carries an assortment of navy and Marine Corps aircrafts. It has modern medical and dental facilities to provide intensive medical assistance to around 800 patients.

USS Iwo Jima has played a major role in providing humanitarian assistance over the years. In the aftermath of the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the Iwo Jima served as the command ship for relief operations. The ship was also part of Operation Continuing Promise in South America.

During that operation, humanitarian assistance teams aboard the Iwo Jima – comprised of US military personnel, partner nations’ forces and civilian relief volunteers – provided medical care and infrastructure improvements in eight countries.

They also offered planning and coordination training for military personnel in addition to valuable services to communities in need.