Navy first as HMS Tamar joins mission
A ROYAL Navy ship based in Portsmouth is to join one of the world’s largest humanitarian missions in Pacific for the first time.
HMS Tamar will spend several weeks on the US-led operation ‘Pacific Partnership’, a three-month mission to offer medical, engineering, and disaster relief support to islands and nations across the Pacific.
The Portsmouth-based offshore patrol vessel will undertake search and rescue training, support disaster relief capacity building, and host aseriesofoutreacheventswith a number of Indo-Pacific communities.
The Royal Navy presence marks a ‘significant contribution’ to the annual mission, according to Captain Charles Maynard, a Royal Navy commander who is serving as exercise’s deputy commander.
He said: ‘I am delighted and honoured to be the deputy commander.
‘The exchanges from this missioncreatelastingbondsof friendship and trust that will endurefarbeyondthetimethe ships leave the jetty.’
The mission also sees hospital ship USNS Mercy bring more than 700 surgeons to the region ready for disaster relief and humanitarian support, according to Royal Navy Lieutenant Lesley Hailey, who is helping coordinate medical planning.
Mercy,whichdepartedSan Diego at the beginning of May, is a former oil tanker turned into the largest floating hospital in the world and the eight largest hospital in the United States, with a capacity to treat more than 1,000 patients.
Lt Hailey, who is based at Plymouth’s Derriford hospital,said:‘Foreachmissionstop, wewillbeplanningaschemeof medical events with the host nation such as side-by-side engagements, environmental healthandtheprovisionofsurgery onboard.’
Thedecisiontocommittwo patrol ships – HMS Tamar and HMS Spey – on five-year missionstotheregionallowsaRoyalNavyvesseltoparticipatefor the first time.
PraisingtheRoyalNavy,PacificPartnership2022mission commander Captain Hank Kim said: ‘’Serving with Captain Maynard and Lieutenant Hailey, in addition to the entire Pacific Partnership crew, has been a distinct honour and highlight of my career. I’m also thrilled to welcome HMS Tamar and her crew to the team later on in this mission.’