HMS Mersey (P283)

Launched in 2003, HMS Mersey is the youngest of the original batch of River Class offshore patrol vessels.

Role

Led by Lieutenant Commander James Mitchell, HMS Mersey is one of the busiest ships in the Royal Navy Fleet, averaging 220 days at sea every year.

Most of those are dedicated to fishery protection, working alongside her sisters to ensure that fishing boats and trawlers stick to agreed quotas and regulations on behalf of the Marine Management Organisation.

Given her regular presence in home waters, HMS Mersey is also frequently involved in monitoring the movements of foreign warships as they pass the UK.

River class

Unit history

1814

The First Mersey

The first HMS Mersey was a Conway-class 26-gun Sixth Rate, launched in 1814.

1858

The Second Mersey

The second HMS Mersey and her sister ship HMS Orlando were the longest wooden ships ever built for the Royal Navy; at 336 feet overall, they were nearly twice the length of HMS Victory.

1858

Huge ship

At 5,643 tonnes displacement, Mersey was a huge ship for her day, heavily armed, strongly manned and relatively fast at 12 knots. She was sold in 1875.

1885

The Third Mersey

The third HMS Mersey was a protected cruiser, the first to be solely powered by steam. She was launched at Chatham dockyard in March 1885.

1914

The Fourth Mersey

In 1914, the Royal Navy bought three Amazon river monitors, built by Vickers for Brazil. These – renamed Mersey, Humber and Severn – were the first of a new type of specialist shore bombardment ship.

1921

Sold

The new ships proved dangerously unseaworthy in open waters in anything more than a force 5 wind. HMS Mersey was sold to breakers in 1921.

2003

The current Mersey

The fifth and current HMS Mersey, a River-class offshore patrol vessel, was launched in 2003.

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