HMS Shoreham was a Sandown-class minehunter of the British Royal Navy. She was the fifth vessel to bear the name. From 2018 to 2021, Shoreham was deployed at UKNSF Bahrain together with three other mine countermeasures ships as part of 9 Mine Countermeasures Squadron[2] on Operation Kipion. In 2022 she was decommissioned and was transferred to Ukraine.
 Shoreham off Bahrain in 2021
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Shoreham |
| Builder | Vosper Thornycroft |
| Launched | 9 April 2001 |
| Commissioned | 20 July 2002 |
| Decommissioned | October 2022 |
| Homeport | HMNB Clyde |
| Identification |
|
| Status | Decommissioned, transferred to Ukraine as Cherkasy |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Sandown-class minehunter |
| Displacement | 600 t (590 long tons)[1] |
| Length | 52.5 m (172 ft 3 in) |
| Beam | 10.9 m (35 ft 9 in) |
| Draught | 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph) |
| Complement | 34 (accommodation for up to 40) |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
| Armament |
|
Operational history
editRoyal Navy (UK)
edit2001–2010
editShoreham was accepted into service on 28 November 2001 and commissioned in a ceremony in her namesake port on 20 July 2002.
2011–2022
editIn 2012, Shoreham deployed to the Persian Gulf to join the 9th Mine Countermeasures squadron based in Bahrain. She returned to Faslane on 28 August 2015 after three years away.[3]
Shoreham entered refit in Rosyth in 2016 for repair work to her hull. Other work carried out included installing a new galley, fitting a new fire detection system and improving the high-pressure air system. She was handed back to the Royal Navy in January 2017.[4]
In spring 2017, Shoreham deployed with NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1), operating around Northern Europe. During the course of this deployment Shoreham, the last of the Sandown class to be built, took part in naval exercises with the former HMS Sandown, now operated by the Estonian Navy as Admiral Cowan.[5]
From 2018 to 2021, Shoreham served with 9 Mine Countermeasures Squadron operating from HMS Jufair in the Persian Gulf. In August 2021, Shoreham returned to the U.K having been relieved by her sister ship HMS Bangor.[6]
In May 2022, Shoreham embarked on a final short tour of the UK ahead of her planned decommissioning including a final visit to her namesake port during which 1,500 members of the public toured the ship.[7][8]
In September 2022, she was spotted operating around Firth of Forth carrying the name "Черкаси" (Ukrainian: Cherkasy)[9] and the pennant number M311. Though still reportedly in commission with the Royal Navy, she was now training sailors of the Ukrainian Navy prior to her planned handover to that Navy.[9][10] In October 2022 it was reported that she had been decommissioned.[11]
Ukrainian Navy
editThe ship was commissioned into the Ukrainian Navy as "Черкаси" (Ukrainian: Cherkasy) on 2 July 2023. The ceremony was held in Glasgow.[12] In April 2024, it was indicated that Cherkasy and her sister ship Chernihiv were to be based at HMNB Portsmouth for the "foreseeable future as they prepare for exercises with the Royal Navy alongside the US Navy in UK waters, which will help Ukraine understand how to operate with NATO navies".[13]
References
edit- ^ "Sandown Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels - Specifications". GlobalSecurity.org. 11 July 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
- ^ "RFA Cardigan Bay's winter in the Gulf". Royal Navy. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "HMS Shoreham returns from Gulf deployment". Royal Navy. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
- ^ "'Like new' Shoreham emerges from six-month revamp". Royal Navy. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
- ^ "Oldest and newest Sandown-class minehunters meet up in Estonia". Royal Navy. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
- ^ "HMS Middleton & Shoreham Leaving Bahrain After Three Years". Seawaves Magazine. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
- ^ "HMS Shoreham – the next Royal Navy minehunter to decommission". NavyLookout.com. 10 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
- ^ "HMS Shoreham says 'adieu to Adur' in emotional final hometown visit". Royal Navy. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ a b @NavyLookout (9 September 2022). "HMS Shoreham still in commission, operating around Firth of Forth training Ukrainian sailors in mine warfare" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "The Sandown-class minehunters for the Ukrainian Navy received their names". Ukrainian Defence Ministry. 11 September 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ^ @NavyLookout (20 October 2022). "Ex-HMS Ramsey and HMS Blyth have been sold to the Romanian Navy" (Tweet). Retrieved 27 October 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Grotnik, Tomasz (13 July 2023). "Ukraine Commissioned Two MCM Vessels". Naval News. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ "Two Ukrainian Navy ships to be temporarily based in Portsmouth". Royal Navy. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
External links
edit
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