Multi Purpose Offshore Vessel RFA Proteus heads to London
10th October 2023
The Royal Navy’s newly acquired Multi Purpose Offshore vessel RFA Proteus headed up the Thames, passing Gravesend, on 6 October 2023, heading to London for a naming ceremony.
The Ministry of Defence acquisition of the ship for $62 million, previously named Topaz Tangaro, is intended to counter the increasing threat of the Russian Navy’s submarines attack on under water infrastructure such as gas pipes and communication cables after Russian activities in the invasion of Ukraine.
RFA Proteus will operate in the European and Atlantic waters as a MROSS (Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance Ship) vessel. Daily Life.
The ship was built in 2019 as a commercial offshore support vessel for P&O Maritime Logistics to support subsea construction and installation projects, subsea inspection and survey, and as a mother ship to support remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operations.
Earlier this year, the ship was bought by the Ministry of Defence and has been refitted as a multi-role ocean surveillance (MROS) ship operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, a civilian-manned fleet that provides support to the Royal Navy.
Conversion of RFA Proteus was completed last month, and the ship began post-conversion sea trials. She was expected to be handed over to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary by late 2023.
Photo by Fraser Gray
