MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New-look for Royal Navy Patrol Vessel

Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Dumbarton Castle has returned home to Portsmouth from an £8m upgrade in Scotland.

The 22 year-old ship spent nine months in Rosyth being fitted with three new diesel generators, and a rebuilt junior rates' mess. Two new cranes were also fitted allowing her to carry bigger rigid inflatable seaboats more suited to the South Atlantic environment where she serves for months at a time.

Dumbarton Castle will soon embark on sea training off the west coast of Scotland and will be officially re-dedicated at a ceremony in Portsmouth on July 16.

Commanding Officer, Lt Cdr John Garratt, said: "The ship's company have worked extremely hard, in conjunction with Babcock Engineering Services who carried out the refit, to get the ship to the required standard in a tight schedule.

"She is looking good and performing well and we are very much looking forward to putting her through her paces during intensive sea training."

Marine Engineering Mechanic Jess Owen, of Hilsea, Portsmouth, said he was particularly impressed with the new accommodation and recreation areas. "It is more spacious, allowing more people to socialise and is more homely ? something really important when we are away from home."

HMS Dumbarton Castle has a ship's company of 51 and has spent half her life as the Falkland Islands patrol vessel, alternating duties with her sister ship HMS Leeds Castle.

Source: Navy News