The port of Portland saw more activity from ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in December than in any single month since the Royal Navy left the former Naval Base in July 1995.

It was the culmination of a busy year, in which the total number of warships and auxiliaries of all nations entering Portland Harbour limits has exceeded 2001’s record of 98 by almost 50 per cent.

The most prominent visitors in December were the RFA’s two new Large Fleet Tankers, Wave Ruler and Wave Knight, which were berthed on Outer Coaling Pier and Deep Water Jetty respectively for post-acceptance maintenance and defect rectification.

Wave Ruler, commanded by Capt D. Worthington, and Wave Knight, commanded by Capt A. Roach, are the largest single-role tankers specifically built for the RFA in more than 30 years – at 30,000 fully loaded, they displace nearly three times the Rover class.

The Wave sisters have a total liquid cargo capacity of 16,000 cubic metres, including up to 3,000 cubic metres of aviation fuel, and they can also carry eight 20ft refrigerated containers and 500 cubic metres of solid stores.

Rupert Best, the Portland Port Director responsible for developing defence business, said: “We have been very pleased to see these two modern ships in Portland together, and we would like to think that their presence has highlighted Portland’s great strength as a secure, deep water harbour on the South Coast with very easy access to the open sea.

“We have also used this opportunity to point out that we have, within the port, a number of engineering underwater technology and service companies, with the appropriate Ministry of Defence quality accreditations, that can meet many of the needs of customers such as the RFA.”

Wave Ruler spent Christmas and the New Year in Portland, where she was joined by MV Hurst Point, another new vessel, and one of six Roll-On, Roll-Off (RORO) heavy lift ships built and operated by Andrew Weir Shipping for the Ministry of Defence.