HMS Severn, a Royal Navy patrol vessel from the Fisheries Squadron is off to the warmer climes as she is assigned to Atlantic Patrol North for a deployment  to patrol of British territories in the Caribbean.

The ship which is well known in south west waters is a regular caller at the docks. She is currently being put through her paces  by Flag Officer Sea Training North off the west coast of Scotland prior to her deployment.

Severn’s commanding officer Lt Cdr Steve Banfield said: “The forthcoming deployment is a new challenge for HMS Severn – although not for the Royal Navy.

“Whilst Severn normally operates in UK waters, our focus is now on preparing the ship and our personnel for Atlantic Patrol North. I’m confident that our training has prepared us well for all contingencies and tasking that may be required of us.”

Normally, Severn is one of the fleet safeguarding the nation’s fish stocks by watching the movements of fishing vessels. In a break with tradition she will travel across the Atlantic to take over from the frigate HMS Argyll.

The Royal Navy said: “Argyll has proved indispensable in two drug busts – bagging over £30m of illegal narcotics – and helping to clear up in the aftermath of Hurricane Gonzalo in Bermuda.”

The offshore patrol vessel will be expected to pick up where Argyll left off: on stand-by for disaster relief operations and any other duties in support of the region’s British Overseas Territories, as well as embarking a law enforcement detachment from the US Coastguard in the ongoing fight against drug smuggling in the region.

Severn is due to leave her native Portsmouth later this autumn.