A US warship entered the Grand Harbour in Valletta on Saturday morning, marking its first visit to Malta in almost 18 years.

The USS Ross (DDG 71) is the 21st Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer and one of four destroyers based out of a naval station in Rota, Spain. 

The ship is named for Captain Donald Kirby Ross, who received the Medal of Honor of Congress for his heroic actions aboard the USS Nevada (BB 36) on December 7, 1941.

It is led by commander Scott Jones, who assumed command of the ship in July 2021. 

The USS Ross DDG 71 was last in Malta in August 2004. 

It is the first US warship to enter Maltese port since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In a statement, US Chargé d’Affaires Gwendolyn “Wendy” Green said the vessel would be open for a number of tours and that its officers and crew would have the opportunity to immerse themselves in Malta’s “cultural and historic heritage.”

Green described ships like the USS Ross as a “visual reminder of our strong partnership in the Mediterranean.”