MoD Information

HMS Echo to be Commissioned

Wed, March 05, 2003

Source: MoD Navy

The Royal Navy’s newest survey ship, HMS Echo, will be formally commissioned into the Fleet at a ceremony at Devonport Naval Base on Friday 7 March 2003

The Royal Navy’s newest survey ship, HMS Echo, will be formally commissioned into the Fleet at a ceremony at Devonport Naval Base on Friday 7 March 2003.

Vice Admiral Jonathon Band, Commander in Chief Fleet, and Lady Penny Haddacks will be the guests of honour at the ceremony and will inspect the guard and platoons from the ship’s company. Lady Haddacks is the ship’s sponsor and formally named the ship in March 2002.

During the ceremony HMS Echo’s Commanding Officer, Commander Martin Jones, will read the Commissioning Warrant from Commander-in-Chief Fleet and a short service of dedication with be conducted by three Royal Naval Chaplains. The youngest member of the ship’s company, Survey Recorder Chris Pickering aged 20 from Plymouth, and the Commanding Officer’s wife, Mrs Joan Edwards, will have the honour of cutting the commissioning cake at the reception after the ceremony.

Families and friends of members of HMS Echo’s ship’s company will also be among the guests, along with representatives from the ship’s affiliated town of Taunton, including the Mayor, Councillor Adrian Prior-Stanley, and the Commanding Officer of the Taunton Sea Cadets.

Commander Martin Jones said: “This ceremony is the focal point which marks the transition from ship build through trials to a living, working operational unit with the Fleet. To command a new ship, and especially a first of class, I consider an immense privilege and honour. “

HMS Echo, the 12th ship to bear the name, is a Multi-Role Hydrographic and Oceanographic survey vessel. She will work in world-wide front-line operational roles, including support for mine warfare and amphibious operations as well as undertaking specialist surveying tasks.

The ship is equipped with an all electric propulsion system and will be available for operations for more than 334 days each year – a 50 per cent enhancement on her predecessors. Her improved seakeeping means she can carry out survey work for 90 per cent of the year in the rough waters of the UK’s Western Approaches. Existing vessels only carry out survey work in these waters for about 13 per cent of the year. HMS Echo is equipped with the latest integrated survey systems as well as advanced navigation and communications, and has a ship’s company of 72. Like HMS Scott, the ship will operate a crew rotation system and will have 49 crew members onboard, while the remainder take leave or undergo professional training.

The ship was built by Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd at Bideford in Devon, under subcontract by Vosper Thorncroft Shipbuilding. Her sister ship, HMS Enterprise, is currently under construction at Appledore. As well as design and build, the £130 million prime contract covers the support of the ships throughout their expected 25 years service with the Royal Navy.

Since arriving in Devonport last December, HMS Echo has been undergoing sea trials and training in preparation for operational deployment later this year.