Tag: Royal Navy

The Royal Navy will accompany British-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz to provide protection during high tensions in the region, according to the Defense Secretary Ben Wallace. As he stated, he has instructed HMS Montrose and HMS Defender to return to accompanying duties of Red Ensign Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

UK Royal Navy announced seizure of £3.3 million drugs in the Middle East. The bust came as the crew of destroyer HMS Defender pounced on a suspicious dhow, as they swept the northern Arabian Sea for smugglers and traffickers.

Nautilus International has welcomed a reduction in risk levels by the UK for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Namely, on November 7 the Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC) agreed to downgrade the Strait of Hormuz from a High-Risk Area.

The tension in the Strait of Hormuz over the last months continues to pose serious threats to commercial vessels. Today, Thursday, November 7, a UK Chamber of Shipping spokesperson called for a de-escalation of tension in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that UK flagged ships will soon transit the area without close Royal Naval protection. 

The Royal Navy has successfully guided over seven million tonnes of British shipping, which is the equivalent of almost 20 wartime convoys, through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of its maritime security commission in July.

UK's second aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, set sail for the first time. The 65,000-tonne warship left the basin at Rosyth Dockyard on the Forth, ready to begin sea trials. The ship was laid down eight years ago. After its sea trials, HMS Prince of Wales will sail for Portsmouth where it is due to be formally commissioned in the presence of its Lady Sponsor, the Duchess of Cornwall, before the end of the year.

The presence of the UK warships in the Strait of Hormuz has stabilized the commercial shipping operations, following the tensions in the area after Iran seized a UK-flagged tanker in the region, a British navy official reported to Reuters.

The UK Royal Navy deploys an additional 18 military medical staff to arrive in the Bahamas and provide emergency care, surgery and intensive care to those impacted from Hurricane Dorian. The UK Navy also deployed the HMS Protector, currently operating in Bermuda, transmitting supplies such as food, water and clothing for the victims of the hurricane.