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For other ships with the same name, see HMS Penzance.

HMS Penzance near Kinlochbervie, 2009

HMS Penzance was a Sandown-class minehunter commissioned by the Royal Navy in 1998. She was named after the seaside town of Penzance in Cornwall, and was the fourth vessel to bear the name. She was decommissioned in January 2024.[3]

Construction and career

In 2000, Penzance was awarded the freedom of the town of Penzance.[4]

In 2020 Penzance deployed long-term to the Persian Gulf, operating as part of 9 Mine Countermeasures Squadron from HMS Jufair in Bahrain. In this role, crews for Penzance rotate every four months.[5]

In April 2021 Penzance was involved in a collision with HMS Chiddingfold in Mina Salman, Bahrain. Both vessels remained afloat and were able to berth safely.[6] Penzance returned to U.K. waters from the Persian Gulf in mid-2022.[7]

On 17 April 2023, in Scottish waters Penzance nearly collided with 12,000 tonne Norwegian tanker Sten Baltic, which slowed down to avoid collision. None of Penzance's bridge officers had noticed the tanker until radioed to speed up to avoid a collision. The senior bridge officer, who tried to cover up his actions, was court-martialed losing his seniority and fined.[8]

In November 2023, Penzance deployed with the mine countermeasures vessel HMS Cattistock and other Royal Navy warships to patrol northern European waters with vulnerable undersea critical infrastructure in order to assist in protecting such assets. It was reported that this deployment might be the minehunter's last since she was expected to decommission before 2025.[9] In January 2024, Penzance sailed into Rosyth for the final time, flying her paying off pennant.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Sandown Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels - Specifications". GlobalSecurity.org. 11 July 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  2. ^ "In focus: the Fleet Solid Support ship design". Navy Lookout. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  3. ^ @NavyLookout (20 January 2024). "@NavyLookout HMS Bangor is the last Sandown class MCMV left in RN service. Images recently released of HMS Penzance decommissioning ceremony held before she left Faslane for the final time on 9th January" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 January 2024 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ FOI response, released as part of a response from Penzance Town Council to a request made using WhatDoTheyKnow, accessed 13 April 2023.
  5. ^ Cotterill, Tom (10 June 2020). "HMS Chiddingfold's 47-strong crew is heading to the Gulf from Portsmouth today". The News. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Gulf: £100,000 Of Damage After Navy Ships Collision". Forces Network. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  7. ^ @NavyLookout (21 August 2022). "@HMSPenzance arrives in #Gibraltar this afternoon as she makes her way home from the Gulf" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 August 2022 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ Tait, Albert (20 May 2024). "Royal Navy warship came within 'hair's breadth' of crash with oil tanker due to tired officer". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Analysis: Royal Navy deploys seven ships on underwater infrastructure patrols". navylookout.com. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  10. ^ @NavyLookout (14 January 2024). "@NavyLookout .@HMSPenzance sailed from Leith yesterday and entered Rosyth flying her paying off pennant" (Tweet). Retrieved 15 January 2023 – via Twitter.


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