Type 23 frigate HMS Marlborough left Portsmouth this morning to take over as the UK’s patrol ship in the Gulf.

In her final deployment before decommissioning, she will work alongside coalition forces for six months in the Northern Gulf on general surveillance operations, watching out for suspect shipping.

Marlborough will also conduct goodwill port visits throughout the region, including stops in Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Commander Ian Graham, Marlborough’s Commanding Officer, said: “The deployment has been the focus of preparations on board for the last nine months.

“With a challenging period of pre-deployment sea training successfully completed, the ship is ready to make a full contribution to the Royal Navy’s activities in the area.”

Marlborough is scheduled to return to Portsmouth in April and will decommission in June.

She was one of four British ships which recently went to the aid of the Canadian submarine HMCS Chicoutimi after it lost propulsion power in the Atlantic and was battered by stormy seas.

Link to HMS Marlborough's fact card