Royal Navy’s new counter-piracy warship HMS Trent sets sail for the Mediterranean to join Nato forces on mission to hunt international terrorists and criminal gangs
- Royal Navy warship HMS Trent sets sail from Portsmouth to join Nato in the Med
- Friends and family of the crew had to watch proceedings online due to Covid-19
- The ship will train and patrol with Nato forces as part of Operation Sea Guardian
One of the Royal Navy’s newest warships has set sail from Portsmouth for the Mediterranean.
The 295ft ship HMS Trent is designed for duties including counter piracy, anti-smuggling and counter-terrorism.
But the friends and family of crew members had to watch proceedings at Portsmouth Naval Base live online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The new warship will train and patrol with Nato forces as part of Operation Sea Guardian, which seeks to deter international crime and terrorism
The vessel’s crew stood to attention beside her as she was officially commissioned at the quiet ceremony.
Addressing the crew, HMS Trent’s Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commonder James Wallington-Smith said it was a ‘great sadness’ that friends and family could not attend the commissioning ceremony as they normally would have before the pandemic.
He said: ‘It is the understated support of all those around us who form the backbone on which we are able to to our job’.
The vessel’s crew stood to attention beside her as she was officially commissioned at a quiet ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base
‘Without their own hard work and sacrifice, we would not be able to make it to the start date on time.’
HMS Trent was built on the Clyde in Scotland by BAE Systems and delivered to the Royal Navy in December.
HMS Trent’s Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commonder James Wallington-Smith said it was a ‘great sadness’ that friends and family could not attend the commissioning ceremony as they normally would have before the pandemic
Since then she has been going through sea training and workouts to prepare her for her first deployment.
The new warship will train and patrol with Nato forces as part of Operation Sea Guardian, which seeks to deter international crime and terrorism.
Lt Cdr Wallington-Smith said: ‘The entire ship’s company have worked tirelessly in difficult circumstances during the Covid-19 pandemic to prepare HMS Trent for this day.
‘I could not be prouder of them and everyone within Portsmouth Naval Base and beyond who has helped us reach this point.’
About two-thirds of the 65 ratings and officers who make up HMS Trent’s ship’s company will crew the vessel at any one time.