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HMS Severn Sails in to Liverpool
Fishery protection vessel HMS Severn will become the first Royal Navy ship to visit Liverpool since the city become European Capital of Culture for 2008 when she sails up the River Mersey this week (31 January - 4 February).
The 1700 tonne River Class offshore patrol vessel will also be the first RN ship to berth alongside the new Cruise Liner jetty adjacent to the Liver Building.
Her four-day stay will provide a brief period of respite from conducting fishery protection duties and contributing to the maritime security of the UK.
While alongside, the ship will welcome aboard several young people from local schools and Sea Cadet Corps, as well as a group from the World Ship Society.
These visits will give the youngsters an opportunity to visit an operational warship and find out more about life on the ocean waves.
The ship's Executive Officer, Lieutenant Andrew Ainsley, who will be in temporary command for the visit, said: "The ship's company are really looking forward to their visit to Liverpool and experience all that the European City of Culture for 2008 has to offer. It's also an opportunity to relax for a couple of days before resuming our busy operational programme.
"We're also looking forward to welcoming our young visitors on board, giving them the opportunity to see around the ship and meet some of the crew."
HMS Severn arrives in Liverpool following a period conducting fishery protection duties in the western English Channel and Irish Sea, boarding fishing vessels to carry out routine inspections and enforcing British Fishery Limits.
HMS Severn will depart on Monday to resume her primary role of fishery protection and maritime security in English, Welsh and Northern Irish waters, enforcing UK and EU legislation to ensure that UK stocks of fish are sustained for future generations. On sailing from Liverpool she will also conduct the time-honoured ceremony of committing the ashes of two World War Two veterans to the sea.
HMS Severn and her sister ships, HMS Tyne and HMS Mersey, are larger and more effective than the Island Class vessels they have replaced. Each ship is expected to spend twice as many days at sea as the Island Class and between the three of them will be able to carry out the same tasks as the five previous fishery patrol vessels.
The Royal Navy draws each ship's company of 30 from a pool of about 45 personnel. The watch routine is based on a two-week rotation with each watch completing a month at sea, followed by a two week stand down. An upgraded standard of accommodation means twin berth cabins with en-suite facilities are provided for Junior Rates, Senior Rates and Officers.
HMS Severn's primary role is enforcement of national and EU fisheries legislation within British fishery limits. Working closely with the Marine and Fisheries Agency, she is a versatile ship capable of patrolling the entire area of the UK fishery limits throughout the year, in all weather conditions. As well as her primary role, she is capable of conducting a variety of other operations, including environmental protection tasks, homeland security and anti-drug surveillance in support of Customs and Excise.
ENDS