As the Royal Navy’s dedicated navigation training ship, this year has seen HMS SEVERN continue to deliver assessments at sea from the Western Isle of Scotland to the Channel Islands.
Since March this has included a Specialist Navigators’ course (the most advanced navigation qualification in the RN), two Fleet Navigation Officers’ courses, an International Navigators’ course and an International Lieutenants’ course.
The ship has also undergone its 6-monthly period of Continuous Operational Sea Training (COST) under the auspices of the Fleet OST (FOST) organisation – and been declared “ready for operations”.
A visit to the UK by the Japanese Maritime Defence Force Ships SHIMAKAZE and KASHIMA gave an opportunity for the ship to engage in international cooperation through a set of “Officer of the Watch manoeuvres,” with SEVERN joining the Japanese formation and practising synchronised manoeuvres in the Channel.
The ship was privileged, in April, to host a delegation from the Wheelwrights to lunch aboard, along with the presentation of the inaugural “Wheelwrights Award” to Leading Seaman Communications Information Systems Johnson. Our Chief Boatswain’s Mate, Leading Seaman (Seaman Specialist) Scattergood has also won an award for innovation in the RN, having personally designed a modification to the ship’s reception point aimed at safeguarding the safety of pilots boarding the ship by ladder. Well done “Scats!”
Port visits this year have included our home port of Portsmouth, as well as North Shields and Ipswich. SEVERN was fortunate enough to represent the RN in Cardiff for HM the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, and was open to the public for several days, as well as hosting a series of high profile visitors. As a Welsh native, our Gunnery Officer, Sub Lieutenant Thomas, was interviewed on the BBC – pictured here with his sister, a serving officer in South Wales Police.