HMS Protector back in Portsmouth after a successful nine-month Antarctica deployment

Saturday, May 11th 2013 - 10:26 UTC

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The Ice Patrol this austral summer was involved in the rescue of a Norwegian cruise vessel trapped in the ice

HMS Protector, the Royal Navy’s Ice Patrol Ship, has returned to Portsmouth at the end of a nine-month deployment to the ‘Frozen Continent’. Operating in the British Antarctic Territory, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands throughout the Austral Summer, the ship conducted three intensive work periods in the ice, and a fourth work period in the waters surrounding South Georgia.

She provided direct support to a UK led multi-national Antarctic Treaty Inspection team as well as landing and recovering British Antarctic Survey scientists at ecologically important sites.

She also helped with ongoing environmental and conservation work, including hosting an international team updating the visitor guidelines for regularly visited sites and surveying the poorly charted waters around the Antarctic Peninsula.

HMS Protector’s Commanding Officer, Captain Rhett Hatcher said: “Completing such a busy and diverse program in the ship’s second deployment to Antarctica in as many years represents a significant achievement for HMS Protector’s ship’s company.

”A very full summer lies ahead of us, which will include a visit to Cambridge our affiliated city and operational sea training. Protector will deploy to the Antarctic again in autumn 2013.

During her deployment HMS Protector was involved in the rescue of a Norwegian cruise liner from ice and returned a stone taken from Sir Ernest Shackleton's grave 76 years ago.

In January, Protector broke through thick ice to free Norwegian cruise liner MS Fram when it became surrounded by fast moving floes in Antarctic Sound.

The stone returned to Shackleton's grave in South Georgia was taken as a souvenir by a sailor in 1937. Shackleton was aiming to circumnavigate the Antarctic continent when he died of a heart attack off South Georgia in 1922.

Categories: Health & Science, Politics, Antarctica, Falkland Islands, International.

Tags: antartic, Antartic Treaty, British Antarctic Territory, HMS Protector, MV Fram, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, United Kingdom.

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules

Anglotino
Perhaps Britain should think about berthing the HMS Protector in Australia or New Zealand during the southern summer.

Or better yet, Australia put out to tender a replacement to our own icebreaker Aurora Australis in January. Maybe we could do a twofer or go halves.

Considering Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom possess more than half of Antarctica and share the same monarch, we should perhaps federate our Antarctic territories - the Federation of Antarctic Commonwealth Territories - FACT. Helps to emphasise our claims are indeed a fact when compared to others.
May 11th, 2013 - 11:33 am 0
Escoses Doido
@1:
Yes, I know, but the thing is, some people have their Antarctic territory claim marked out on the back of their passports.

I don't think Austrailia does, or NZ. (certainly not the UK)

So I guess those who have this on their passport cover must have a legitimate claim - Eh?
May 11th, 2013 - 01:47 pm 0
Conqueror
@2 Not a chance. Illegitimate claims by nazi toadies. They have a choice. They can give up their claims. Or they can die. Makes no difference to me.
May 11th, 2013 - 05:36 pm 0

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