High school students, a world-class chef and members of the media all walked up the gangway of HMS Severn, following its arrival in the Cayman Islands yesterday, Sunday 18 January 2015.
A river class offshore patrol vessel with a relatively shallow draft, the Severn broke custom for its larger, heavier Royal Navy counterparts, and came alongside the Port of George Town’s north terminal.
Since the ship replaced HMS Argyll on patrol of the Caribbean in December 2014, it has already visited nine islands. It will remain in the region through July 2015 to provide maritime security, disaster relief capability and counter-narcotics support to British Overseas Territories. Another objective is to promote the Royal Navy as a viable career for young people.
In addition to hosting on-board visits by students from John Gray and Clifton Hunter High Schools, the vessel’s commanding officer and senior officers paid courtesy calls to the Governor and the Premier on Monday morning 19 January 2015.
Other highlights of the visit included a football game against inmates of Northward Prison, the attendance at an on-board reception of top British chef Adam Handling who was on island for the Cayman Cookout, and a meeting with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Marine Unit to discuss counter-narcotics operations.
The Portsmouth based HMS Severn has an on-board crew of about 30 and is one of three vessels tasked with fisheries patrol in the United Kingdom. Its next port-of-call is Barbados.
Photos:
1 View of HMS Severn from Hog Sty Bay
2 This view of the patrol vessel from the port side shows one of three speedboats that can be winched into the water at need.
3. Although there is a sophisticated array of technology on board. HMS Severn Navigator Lt. Ben Read shows the use of a signal light which can also be used to communicate.

Related story:
HMS Severn spends festive season in Caribbean
It may be frosty in the UK for the festive period but for HMS Severn December was spent in the sunshine of the Caribbean as she visited Antigua, Barbados and Montserrat.
Her most recent visit was to Montserrat where the patrol vessel anchored in Little Bay while Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Steve Banfield met with His Excellency The Governor of Montserrat Mr Adrian Davis.
He also received briefings from the Disaster Management Coordination Agency and the Montserrat Volcano Observatory as part of the ship’s tasking over the next six months will be to provide assistance in the event of a natural disaster.
The ship’s company also helped to host a children’s beach party organised by the local Red Cross branch and went to a Caribbean Christmas carol concert.
HMS Severn docked in Barbados for four days where the CO met with the Barbados Defence Force while the rugby team met with the Barbados 7s International coach to set up a future match between the two sides.
HMS Severn
The ship also opened its gangway to a number of visits, including the Barbados Coast Guard who toured the ship and discussed future training opportunities, Duke of Edinburgh Award participants and the families of the employees of the British High Commission based in Bridgetown.
And in Antigua the ship visited St John’s Harbour where they hoisted dignitaries and had a few days off to enjoy their surroundings before a busy period ahead.
The Portsmouth-based River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel has deployed to the North Atlantic as part of a long-standing commitment to the region. Having taken over from HMS Argyll which returned before Christmas, she will provide reassurance to British Overseas Territories and dependencies in the region, conduct Counter-Narcotics tasking whilst also being prepared to conduct disaster relief if called upon.