MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

RFA “Gold Rover” sails for Falklands.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Gold Rover is due to sail from Plymouth tomorrow for a long-term deployment to the South Atlantic and is scheduled to arrive in the Falklands next June. The 11,500-tonne fleet tanker will be based in the Islands until the end of 2004.

She will provide support to the British forces in the area, and to Royal Navy and allied warships operating in the South Atlantic region, occasionally calling in Punta Arenas, Chile and Montevideo, Uruguay. RFA Gold Rover is one of three Rover-class tankers.

Their main role is to replenish warships with fuel oil, aviation fuel, lubricants, fresh water and a limited amount of dry cargo and refrigerated stores. Each of the ships has a large flight deck with the ability to operate all types of Naval helicopter. They have a ship's company of 56 officers and ratings, who are all civilian seafarers.

The RFA played a key role in the Iraq campaign, including transporting humanitarian aid to southern Iraq. RFA cargo was landed at Umm Qasr and distributed around that town and in Basra.

On its way south, the RFA Gold Rover is due to call in at Gibraltar, Dakar, Senegal and Freetown, Sierra Leone, before arriving in the Falklands in June.

Gold Rover's sister ships, Grey Rover and Black Rover, are on deployment in Singapore and the Caribbean.

RFA Gold Rover is due to pass Devil's Point at 9.45am today.