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Patrol ship Medway is new ‘presence’

Naval newcomer: HMS Medway, a River-class offshore patrol ship, will be deployed in the Caribbean region (Photograph by Blaire Simmons)

Royal Navy ship HMS Medway docked in Hamilton yesterday as part of her deployment to the Caribbean region.

Medway, a River-class offshore patrol ship, is the new Atlantic Patrol Task (North) ship and replaced RFA Mounts Bay in the role.

The ship, captained by Commander Ben Power, arrived at about 8am from Gibraltar and is expected to stay until Saturday.

HMS Medway, commissioned last September, was built at the BAE Shipyard in Govan on River Clyde in Scotland.

The Royal Navy website said that the service was “committed to maintaining a constant presence in the North Atlantic and Caribbean ... to protect the interests of the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories in the region”.

The ship’s role includes disaster relief as well as maintenance of a “conspicuous presence in the region” as part of the fight “to deter drug-runners and prevent illegal substances from reaching UK shores”.

Naval newcomer: HMS Medway, a River-class offshore patrol ship, will be deployed in the Caribbean region (Photograph by Blaire Simmons)