MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

HMS Endurance to be replaced with vessel from Norway early 2011

To repair the Red Plum that almost sunk in 2008 would have cost £ 30 million

Senior Royal Navy sources have confirmed a vessel from Norway will join the fleet early next year to replace Endurance, which almost sank in 2008, reports The News from Portsmouth.

The Norwegian icebreaker will join the fleet early next year and head off on an 18-month deployment in March, a senior source revealed. It is unclear whether the RN will buy or lease the replacement icebreaker, which may be given the name Endurance.

The Royal Navy maintains its official line that a decision is yet to be taken on whether to repair or replace the ship. But The News understands Endurance's replacement will be ratified at a meeting of navy top brass next week.

Mike Hancock, MP for Portsmouth South and a member of the parliamentary defence select committee, said: 'I'm not surprised the navy has gone for this option. They had three choices: scrap Endurance and forget about heading to the Antarctic; spend millions getting her in to good shape, or bring something in - and that's what they'll do. It seems the most logical step.'

HMS Endurance has sat idle at Portsmouth naval base ever since she was carried back home on a transport ship from the Falkland Islands in April 2009.

She almost sank in the Strait of Magellan, off the coast of Chile, in December 2008. A 15-month investigation into the flood revealed it was caused by a valve opening as crew made a routine filter change.

The navy originally said it intended to repair Endurance. But Whitehall has stalled on handing over the cash to fund the repairs, which would keep her out of action until 2011, by which time she would be 20 years old.

In Endurance's absence, the navy deployed the ocean survey vessel HMS Scott to the South Atlantic and Antarctic as cover. But Scott does not have an icebreaker function, nor does she have the Lynx helicopters of Endurance.

A RN spokesman said: 'No decision on the way ahead has yet been taken'.