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HMS Scott (H131)
Encyclopedia
HMS Scott is an ocean survey vessel of the Royal Navy
, and the only vessel of her class. She is the third Royal Navy ship to carry the name, and the second to be named after the Antarctic explorer, Robert Falcon Scott
. She was ordered to replace the survey ship HMS Hecla
.
in 1995 to replace the ageing HMS Hecla
. She was built at the Appledore Shipbuilders
in North Devon and launched on 13 October 1996 by Mrs Carolyn Portillo, wife of Michael Portillo
, the then-Secretary of State for Defence
. She was commissioned on 20 June 1997. Not only is she the largest vessel in the Royal Navy's Hydrographic Squadron, and the sixth largest in the entire fleet, but she is also the largest survey vessel in Western Europe.
, which varies in depth between 1000 m (3,280.8 ft) and 5000 m (16,404.2 ft). The survey, conducted using a high-resolution, multi-beam sonar system, revealed that the earthquake had made a huge impact on the topography of the seabed.
In September 2006, Scott was granted the Freedom of the City
of Swansea
. From August 2008 until June 2009 Scott was refitted in Portsmouth
.
On 26 October 2009 and again on 25 November 2010 Scott deployed to the South Atlantic and Antarctic to cover for the non-availability of the Royal Navy icebreaker HMS Endurance
.
HMS Scott carries an American SPAWAR field engineer onboard at all times; he is often referred to as "mission michael" and his hard work onboard throughout the tsunami investigation earnt him an honourary MBE which he wears with pride.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, and the only vessel of her class. She is the third Royal Navy ship to carry the name, and the second to be named after the Antarctic explorer, Robert Falcon Scott
Robert Falcon Scott
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...
. She was ordered to replace the survey ship HMS Hecla
HMS Hecla (A133)
HMS Hecla was the lead ship of the Hecla class, an oceangoing survey ship type in the Royal Navy. She was ordered in the mid 1960s, along with her sisters ships and . A fourth ship, , was completed in the early 1970s. The ship served for thirty years in this role, and various others, before...
.
Construction
She was ordered from BAeSEMABAeSEMA
BAeSEMA was a naval technology joint venture between British Aerospace and the French Sema Group. The company was formed in 1991 and dissolved in November 1998 when BAe purchased SEMA's 50% share....
in 1995 to replace the ageing HMS Hecla
HMS Hecla (A133)
HMS Hecla was the lead ship of the Hecla class, an oceangoing survey ship type in the Royal Navy. She was ordered in the mid 1960s, along with her sisters ships and . A fourth ship, , was completed in the early 1970s. The ship served for thirty years in this role, and various others, before...
. She was built at the Appledore Shipbuilders
Appledore Shipbuilders
-History:The Appledore Yard was founded in 1855 on the estuary of the River Torridge. The Richmond Dry Dock was built in 1856 by William Yeo and named after Richmond Bay in Prince Edward Island, where the Yeo family's shipping fleet was based....
in North Devon and launched on 13 October 1996 by Mrs Carolyn Portillo, wife of Michael Portillo
Michael Portillo
Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo is a British journalist, broadcaster, and former Conservative Party politician and Cabinet Minister...
, the then-Secretary of State for Defence
Secretary of State for Defence
The Secretary of State for Defence, popularly known as the Defence Secretary, is the senior Government of the United Kingdom minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the Defence Council. It is a Cabinet position...
. She was commissioned on 20 June 1997. Not only is she the largest vessel in the Royal Navy's Hydrographic Squadron, and the sixth largest in the entire fleet, but she is also the largest survey vessel in Western Europe.
Role
Scott is the Royal Navy's only ocean survey vessel. She can remain at sea for up to 300 days a year, thanks to her novel crew rotation system. Her complement of 63 is divided into three sections: two sections are required to keep the ship operational, with the third on shore on leave or in training. When the ship returns to port, one crew section on board is replaced by the section on shore. The ship can then deploy again almost immediately. As with all of the Royal Navy's large survey vessels, Scott has an auxiliary role in support of mine countermeasure vessels.History
In February 2005 Scott surveyed the seabed around the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
, which varies in depth between 1000 m (3,280.8 ft) and 5000 m (16,404.2 ft). The survey, conducted using a high-resolution, multi-beam sonar system, revealed that the earthquake had made a huge impact on the topography of the seabed.
In September 2006, Scott was granted the Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
. From August 2008 until June 2009 Scott was refitted in Portsmouth
HMNB Portsmouth
Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the British Royal Navy...
.
On 26 October 2009 and again on 25 November 2010 Scott deployed to the South Atlantic and Antarctic to cover for the non-availability of the Royal Navy icebreaker HMS Endurance
HMS Endurance (A171)
MV Polar Circle was built in Norway in 1990, chartered by the Royal Navy as HMS Polar Circle, and finally purchased as HMS Endurance. She is a former Antarctic ice patrol ship, and is a class 1A1 icebreaker...
.
Affiliations
- 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic), Royal EngineersRoyal EngineersThe Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
- City and County of SwanseaSwanseaSwansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
- Plymouth Child Development Centre (Scott Hospital, Plymouth)
- TS Scott - Maidstone Sea Cadets
- The Captain Scott Society
- The Worshipful Company of Water ConservatorsWorshipful Company of Water ConservatorsThe Worshipful Company of Water Conservators is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. In 1988, some members of the Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers , who were also members of the Institution of Water and Environmental Management decided to found the Guild of Water...
HMS Scott carries an American SPAWAR field engineer onboard at all times; he is often referred to as "mission michael" and his hard work onboard throughout the tsunami investigation earnt him an honourary MBE which he wears with pride.