HMS Portland
HMS Portland is a Type 23 frigate
of the Royal Navy. She is the eighth ship to bear the name and is the fifteenth
and penultimate ship of the 'Duke' class frigates. The ship was accepted into service by the
Royal Navy on 15 December 2000 and was commissioned on 3 May the following
year.
She is the first major warship in
the Royal Navy to be commanded by a woman; Lieutenant-Commander Sarah West
assumed command of HMS Portland on 21 May 2012.
Hms Portland has recently
completed a £20 million refit, upgrade and maintenance programme at Babcock's
Rosyth dockyard in the UK.
The upgrade was aimed at maintaining the ship at peak effectiveness and follows the recent successful refits on other Type 23 frigates including HMS Kent.
The frigate also underwent structural repairs, and maintenance of all systems and equipment, including renewal of the hull coatings.
The 133m-long HMS Portland has a displacement capacity of 4,900t, is capable of cruising at speeds of 30.8 knots, can accommodate a crew of 185, and can be equipped with Harpoon and Seawolf missile systems, guns and anti-submarine torpedoes.
She is seen here departing Rosyth
on Thursday 13th December 2012 for the last time before heading back
home to Plymouth
after over a year’s absence.
