Overview
- The ship departed Birkenhead on 22 October to begin sea trials after more than a year in Merseyside.
- She was commissioned in July following transfer from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, where she had conducted limited early trials.
- A 55-strong crew carried out maintenance, safety checks and training to return the vessel to operational condition.
- The vessel will be based at HM Naval Base Portsmouth and is slated for operational sea training before front-line duties with the Mine and Threat Exploitation Group.
- Originally the offshore support vessel MV Island Crown, she was purchased in 2023 and converted at Devonport after a late-2024 lay-up in Birkenhead driven by RFA crewing priorities.