A Royal Navy warship is bound for a mission to thwart drugs smugglers and provide critical support to British Overseas Territories during hurricane season in the Caribbean.
HMS Trent left Plymouth at the weekend after weeks of intensive training to ready sailors and ship for their deployment focusing on three distinct tasks in the region.
The patrol ship will work closely with the US Coast Guard and partners to hunt down drugs traffickers, aiming to build on their prolific record in 2024 that saw Trent seize £750m of illegal cargo and hunt down a narco-sub in a historic Royal Navy first.
Portsmouth-based Trent will also become home to experts in humanitarian disaster response, including engineers and drone operators, as the ship patrols the Caribbean ready to help island communities in the event of a storm hitting during hurricane season between June and November.
Complementing that work, Trent will be in the Caribbean to make routine visits to British Overseas Territories, deepening strong relationships with local authorities and the populace to help understand each island’s needs when it comes to hurricane response.
Commanding Officer, Commander Gavin Lowe – speaking during the ship’s Atlantic voyage, said: “We are excited to be returning to the region after maintenance and training in the UK, and bringing a range of capabilities to support humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
“We’re also looking forward to resuming our counter trafficking work with our partners in the US Coast Guard and engaging with the British Overseas Territories. The crew have been working hard to be ready to re-deploy after last year’s operations, and we’re all glad to be crossing the pond to get back on task.”
HMS Trent will begin her hurricane season work in June, but before then will head to New Orleans for Sail 250, a major international tall ship event to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
She will be on the Mississippi River waterfront as part of a multi-national line up, including modern naval ships from Sweden, the Netherlands, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Uruguay.
It will give the ship’s company a chance to explore The Big Easy and the famous Mississippi waterfront, while celebrating the founding of the United States.
The ship will be open to visitors, and the crew will be involved in a series of events to mark the occasion, including Cajun cook-offs, tall ship tours, community outreach, and sporting fixtures.
AB(AWW) Thomas Crundell said: “I’ve never been to New Orleans, and I can’t wait to see it in person. I’m looking forward to Bourbon Street and the French Quarter.”
It will be the Royal Navy’s first visit to New Orleans since 2012 when HMS Montrose helped commemorate the War of 1812 during a six-day visit.
Following their visit to New Orleans, Trent will begin turning her attentions to work across the Caribbean, with a maintenance period leading into their mission – known as Atlantic Patrol (North), which the ship was deployed on last year.
In November Trent was dispatched to Jamaica to help communities in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, making emergency repairs to a school and hospital after the Category 5 storm.
The Royal Navy deploys a ship to the Caribbean annually to provide this support to British Overseas Territories.