Royal Navy's Survey Ship HMS Magpie Makes Her First Port Visit

One of the Royal Navy's newest vessels has made her first port visit since joining the fleet in June.

Devonport-based HMS Magpie is a survey ship, designed to work primarily in UK waters, searching the seabed for mines and documenting changes in the river and seafloor around the country's most strategic ports.

On her first port visit to Dartmouth, Naval College officer cadets took the opportunity to take a look.

The college is set to receive a new fleet of workboats for training in the coming months – similar in design to HMS Magpie.

Officer Cadet Jacob Gibson said:

"To see the opportunities provided with the new vessels coming into the fleet, one end of the spectrum you've got Magpie, other end you've got HMS Queen Elizabeth.

"The surveying potential is really exciting.

"Magpie's role is very much in the shallower water around the ports and harbours... To get a really good picture of the seabed to keep our ships safe."

Magpie is the newest addition to the Royal Navy’s Hydrographic Squadron, replacing veteran survey ship HMS Gleaner, which paid off earlier this year in Plymouth after 35 years’ service.

HMS Magpie is better equipped and has more space which the crew can use to deploy other sensors. In the future, the boat is expected to be able to deploy Submersible Autonomous Vehicles.

Her Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander William Alexander, said: "We've got the latest technology in terms of navigation systems, sensor... the propulsion system is quite revolutionary for the Navy.

"(It's) a twin jet system which is very capable...can drive the ship in any direction, very manoeuvrable."

One of HMS Magpie's next jobs is to survey around Barrow where the Navy's newest submarine is being built.

The work will aim to ensure HMS Audacious has a safe passage from the port.