HMS Grafton has relieved her sister frigate HMS Norfolk on the Armilla Patrol in the Gulf.

Operating in support of United Nations Security Resolution 1483, Type 23 frigate HMS Grafton is joining other Coalition forces in providing security patrols in the Northern Gulf and off the coast of Iraq.

The ship’s Commanding Officer, Cdr Adrian Cassar, said: “Following the cessation of combat operations in Iraq the focus has shifted to the long-term humanitarian, political and economic welfare of the Iraqi people, maintaining security and upholding international law.

“Our task is to deter and where necessary, intercept and detain vessels suspected of smuggling oil out of Iraq.

“We are committed to returning stability to Iraq and promoting the establishment of a democratic government.

“This includes controlling the theft by smuggling of oil that belongs to the Iraqi people, enforcing the embargo on arms imports and the protection of offshore oil terminals that are fundamental to revenue generation for the Iraqi economy.”

Coalition forces are committed to carrying out patrols in Iraq’s territorial waters until the country’s own maritime defence and security force is capable of taking over.

Grafton will maintain her role there until July, when the Iraqi Riverine Patrol Service is scheduled to assume responsibility for Iraq’s inland waterways.

Grafton has recently visited Karachi in support of First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Alan West’s visit to Pakistan.

Although she has been away from the UK for only a matter of weeks, the ship has already noted a number of deployment highlights, including the passage through the Suez Canal, which was a first for many of the ship’s company.

Once the 24-hour transit was completed, Grafton was straight down to business in the Red Sea and the vicinity of the Horn of Africa, integrating with Coalition units in the area and querying merchant ships in order to establish a coherent picture of traffic in some of the busiest sea lanes in the world.

Cdr Cassar said: “We have already established a fairly high operational tempo, taking full advantage of the conditions, expertise of the Royal Marines boarding party and the proximity of other Coalition warships to exercise the ship’s boarding capability.

“This was demonstrated perfectly during an exercise with the Italian warship ITS Scirocco south of Aden.”

Karachi was Grafton’s second port of call, having already visited Muscat in Oman.

Cdr Cassar said: I am exceptionally proud to be the Commanding Officer of HMS Grafton – she is a very capable ship with a well-trained and motivated team.

“We are all looking forward to making a real contribution to operations in the Middle East region before returning to Portsmouth in August.”