River Class

The River Class patrol ships can be used for anything from fire-fighting to disaster relief operations. There are four in all; HMS Tyne, Mersey and Severn, and HMS Clyde which operates around the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. Tyne, Mersey and Severn each have a crew of about 45 sailors, working at least 275 days a year at sea enforcing British and European fisheries law. The ships send two-person teams to inspect fishing vessels to make sure they have the right nets, the right log books and the right licences. The ships are chartered from private shipbuilders.