The crew of HMS Kent have helped with the resumption of seaborne trade around the coast of southern Iraq – at the same time as putting the squeeze on smugglers.

Sailors from the Portsmouth-based Type 23 frigate, expected home next month after seven months east of Suez – dealt a double blow to racketeers by snaring oil smugglers and freeing the port of Basra for free trade to continue.

Troops in Basra, the centre of UK peacekeeping operations in Iraq, told the Navy that the port was clogging up with abandoned tugs and barges, confiscated by the Allied forces clamping down on smuggling operations.

The soldiers lacked the seamanship to get some of the tugs running, and called in HMS Kent to free the port for trade.

“We had a lot of volunteers for the job,” said Lt Cdr ‘Ned’ Kelly, Kent’s Marine Engineer Officer, adding that after long weeks on anti-smuggling patrols, the ship’s company were champing at the bit for something different.

“It was a bit of an adventure – find the most seaworthy tugs, get them running, then sail them,” he said.

“By driving the tugs around the waterways, towing and shunting barges, they were freeing up berths and jetties so merchant trade could get going.

“Most of us have only seen Iraq from 12 miles away, so one thing the guys who went to Basra found was that it was great meeting the locals face-to-face. It was a very positive experience.”

The ‘tug rats’ – OMs Robert Grant, Leon Ashton-Leatherland, Lt Chris Flaherty, PO Martin Jervis, MEM Karl Ellis, LMEM Robert Leaver, and LOM Hadyn Andrews – spent a week cruising up and down the Shatt al Arab waterway, searching barges, shunting them around and impounding vessels trying to sneak oil out of Iraq.

They had to deal with numerous engine room floodings, a small fire, a man overboard, and a runaway barge, plus the unpleasant surroundings of a disused fertiliser factory as their base each night.

“We’re all extremely proud of what they achieved in the short time they were away,” Kent’s Commanding Officer, Cdr Simon Hardern, said

“They showed the flexibility of young people in the Armed Forces. They have been able to contribute, in a small way, towards the regeneration of Iraq.”

During a break from patrols, the frigate visited India - and welcomed a couple of VIPs.

The Prince of Wales and Admiral West dropped in on HMS Kent when the frigate was in Mumbai, formerly Bombay.

Prince Charles met Kent’s boarding party, which had been constantly in action off Iraq, and presented good conduct and long service medals to CPO(WEA) Jonathon Garrett and PO(AEM) Paul Richards.

“His Royal Highness took great interest in our activities and for those he met, there will be some life-long memories,” said Cdr Hardern.

Kent’s deployment sees her travel from the Horn of Africa to the northern Gulf as she takes part in Operation Oracle – the continuing global war on terrorism – and Operation Telic, peacekeeping duties off Iraq.

The crew found little time to explore the teeming Indian city, with the VIP visits, but 14 of Kent’s complement headed off to the Leonard Cheshire Home for orphans and handicapped children, which the Prince of Wales also visited.

The sailors renovated and decorated parts of the home and chatted with residents.

The Type 23’s time in Indian waters – including a short exercise with the Indian Navy – helped foster close ties with the host nation, which the First Sea Lord is keen to build upon.

As the Prince and Admiral West visited Kent, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon and Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Michael Walker paid a visit to coalition forces in Iraq to thank them for the continuing efforts in helping to bring stability to the country.

Mr Hoon said Britain was making a “valuable contribution” to the future of a free Iraq.

He added: “The hard work and commitment that Britain’s Armed Forces are making have helped train police officers, improve the supply of water, power and fuel to the people of southern Iraq.”