USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) made its second South African port call, July 18, 2009, after a week-long series of at-sea exercises with South Africa corvette SAS Amatola (F 145). The two ships conducted a range of cooperative activities geared to enhance maritime interoperability between the two partner nations. Additionally, each ship hosted several of the other ship's sailors for a chance to ride a foreign navy ship. "This last week has been extremely beneficial to our navies as well as our sailors," said Captain Jim Tranoris, commander, Task Force 363. "We have had the unique experience to refine our skill sets at sea with the South Africans, bringing us to a higher level of maritime awareness and interoperability. I am proud of both our nation's sailors for the work they've accomplished and the new relationships that have been forged." Exercises such as maneuvering drills, flashing light communications and small boat operations were some of the various activities carried out between the two ships. "I really like the way they train here. I've learned a lot," said South Africa Navy Sub Lieutenant Zanele Madiba, a ship rider aboard Arleigh Burke. "I think riding a foreign navy's ship is a good idea to simply gain understanding. Everyone needs to understand other cultures and deal with different types of people. Especially if you're in a leadership position, you need to understand how others think and operate." An additional range of ashore and at-sea cooperative activities are scheduled in the coming week between the two nation's navies. Arleigh Burke arrived in the port city of Durban, South Africa, July 13, kicking off the cooperative activities. Arleigh Burke, a guided-missile destroyer home-ported in Norfolk, Virginia, is on a regularly scheduled deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. The ship has supported various partnership-building operations and training, including Africa Partnership Station port visits in Djibouti and Kenya and is scheduled to continue similar port visits to Mauritius and Tanzania in the coming months.