Sunday, April 3, 2016

"Yauza" Probably Completes Syrian Express Support

AIS tracking of "Yauza" heading west from Tartus (March 31-April 3, 2016)

After six months of ferrying materiel and personnel between Russia and Syria,  the Northern Fleet's transport vessel "Yauza" appears to be heading home. "Yauza" departed Tartus, Syria, on March 30 and has continued a westerly transit through today. According to AIS data, the vessel may call in Valletta, Malta, before continuing to its homeport of Murmansk.

"Yauza" departed Severomorsk on September 10, 2015, and arrived in Novorossiysk on October 1. During its half-year deployment to the Black Sea, the naval transport vessel completed six trips between Novorossiysk and Tartus.

Dates Route
Oct 14-Oct 19 Novorossiysk to Tartus
Oct 25-Nov 2 Tartus to Novorossiysk
Nov 17-Nov 22 Novorossiysk to Tartus
Nov 26-Dec 2 Tartus to Novorossiysk
Jan 15-Jan 21 Novorossiysk to Tartus
Jan 26-Jan 31 Tartus to Sevastopol
Feb 1-Feb 2 Sevastopol to Novorossiysk
Feb 17-Feb 24 Novorossiysk to Tartus
Feb 28-Mar 3 Tartus to Sevastopol
Mar 4-Mar 5 Sevastopol to Novorossiysk
Mar 18-Mar 23 Novorossiysk to Tartus
Mar 30-present Tartus to Malta

"Yauza" in Novorossiysk (March 14, 2016)

With the departure of "Yauza" and the disappearance of the commercial transport "Aleksandr Tkachenko" (last noted near Feodosiya on March 13), it appears the "Syrian Express" currently is relying exclusively on Russian Navy landing ships and a few formerly commercial ships to ferry cargo between Russia and Syria.