City welcomes a new Royal Navy warship

A NEW warship has made her debut in Portsmouth.

HMS Trent, the third of the Royal Navy’s new secondgeneration patrol ships, has sailed into the city for the first time.

The 2,000-tonne vessel’s arrival comes ahead of her bigger sister, HMS Clyde, which will be returning to Portsmouth tomorrow after 12 years in the south Atlantic guarding the Falklands.

Lieutenant Commander James Wallington-Smith, Trent’s captain, said joining the fleet in Portsmouth was a huge moment for the ship and her crew.

He added: ‘It is a great privilege to be the ship’s first commanding officer and I am proud of what has been achieved thus far.

‘Trent now enters the next phase which will see her develop into a warship, being made ready for sustained patrol operations in the new year.’ Trent's newest sailor, Sub Lieutenant Hugh Brook, was thrilled to be on the ship as she arrived in Portsmouth,

He said: ‘It is an incredible experience to be part of her maiden voyage and I’m looking forward to spending more time at sea driving the ship.’

Trent is one of five new second-generation patrol ships being built by the navy.

They are bigger, faster and more capable than their predecessors and can conduct operations from fishery protection, to antismuggling border patrols, counter-terrorism and counter-piracy

Operated by a crew of 40, there is space for a further 50 embarked troops or Royal Marines. The ship’s flight deck can accommodate Wildcat and Merlin helicopters.