Royal Navy crew plans exercise with RCIPS

HMS Mersey

(CNS): A British Royal Navy vessel that is currently patrolling the Atlantic, offering support and standby assistance to UK territories as well as watching out for drug traffickers, will be visiting Grand Cayman this month. The crew from HMS Mersey, one of four Royal Navy River Class Offshore Patrol vessels, will conduct an exercise with the RCIPS Marine Unit to improve understanding of each other’s capabilities.

The crew will host an evening reception and tours for local student groups, and several of the sailors will be involved in a community outreach project when they come ashore.

The Commanding Officer of HMS Mersey, Lt Cdr Richard Hewitt, said, “I’m looking forward to bringing Mersey to Grand Cayman and to continue to show the Royal Navy’s commitment to UK overseas territories, as well as working with organisations such as the Royal Cayman Islands Police Marine Unit.”

With a top speed of 21kts, a range of 10,000nm and a pair of Pacific 22 Rigid inflatable boats, the ship is ideally suited for boarding operations and, if required, humanitarian and disaster relief operations. At 80m in length and a draft of under 5m, she also has the ability to visit smaller islands and ports that wouldn’t normally be accessible to the Royal Navy’s Frigates and Destroyers, officials said. Mersey left the UK in early January and will be deployed on Atlantic Patrol Task (North) until July.

“She will provide security and assurance to the British overseas territories in the Caribbean, visiting all six during her time in the region. Mersey will also reinforce trade links with Central America, reaffirm relationships with foreign partners, including the Mexican Navy, and will take part in the multinational exercise ‘Trade Winds 16’ in June,” a release from the Royal Navy stated.

The ship is also involved in counter-narcotics patrols with a US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment team embarked for boarding operations. Throughout the deployment she will be on standby to assist with disaster relief operations, carrying emergency relief stores including food and water and among her 48 crew is a doctor and medical team. The ship can make ten tonnes of fresh water per day and is also able to embark shipping containers of aid and equipment if required, using her own cranes.