Sydney first port of call for US navy ship A US Navy ship will berth in Sydney this weekend before heading north to help train Aussie diggers. The USS Blue Ridge, the command ship of the 70-year-old Seventh Fleet, is one of more than 10 US Navy vessels making port calls in Sydney, Darwin, Cairns and Brisbane this year for the joint Australia-US training exercise Talisman Saber. Her first stop will be Sydney on Saturday morning. The biennial Talisman Saber will this year involve 18,000 US personnel and 9000 Australian defence officers.