HMS Shoreham is under new command as she continues to operate from her forward base in the UK Naval Support Facility in Bahrain.
One of four Royal Navy mine-hunting vessels permanently based in the Gulf, Shoreham changes her crew twice a year so the ship can maximise time spent on operations.
Having completed Operational Sea Training and taken part in Exercise Joint Warrior in the autumn, crew 4 of the First Mine Countermeasures Squadron – normally based in Scotland – took over from MCM1 crew 6, who have been embarked in Shoreham since June last year.
MCM1 crew 6 will now take some well-earned leave, before joining HMS Ramsey.
The new Commanding Officer of MCM1 Crew 4 Lieutenant Commander Peter Evans, is confident his ship’s company are well prepared for operations.
He said: “The training and preparation to deploy the ship’s company to the Gulf was thorough and arduous, and started in June 2019. They have proved their ability to operate in the face of challenging conditions and demanding examiners, and they did so to a fantastic standard.”
However, the UK-based training and preparation was just the start for MCM1 crew 4; they conducted further tests and trials once they arrived in Bahrain, familiarising themselves with the ship.
Although the ship’s company has changed, Shoreham’s mission hasn’t, and the new crew determined to maintain her reputation for excellence on operations.
In the short period that crew 4 have been on board, they have hosted officers from the Royal Bahraini Naval Force to strengthen relationships in the region and completed weapon training, MCM operations and a security patrol ending in a port visit to Dubai.
