"Strong indications" retired Royal Navy survey ship HMS Enterprise could be sold to Bangladesh, report says
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A retired Royal Navy survey ship that sailed around the globe could be sold to Bangladesh, a report from South Asia said.
Online defence website Bangladesh Military Forces - bdmilitary.com - reports that the navy in Dhaka are poised to acquire HMS Enterprise. The multi-role survey vessel hydrographic oceanographic (SVHO) was decommissioned on March 30, 2023, during a grand ceremony at HMNB Portsmouth.
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The publication said: “Strong indications suggest that the Bangladesh Navy may be preparing to acquire the former Royal Navy vessel HMS Enterprise, marking a significant step in its ongoing naval modernisation and capability expansion. While no official announcements have been made, multiple defence sources familiar with the matter indicate that discussions are at an advanced stage.”
The article said a defence briefing took place in London on June 13 with Bangladesh’s chief advisor, Professor Muhammad Yunus. The Royal Navy has responded to the speculation. A spokesperson said: “No final decision has been made on the disposal of HMS Enterprise.”
The career of HMS Enterprise
The survey ship served in the Royal Navy for 20 years. Her crew were deployed to the far-flung corners of the globe, including the Arctic, Japan, and the Falkland Islands. She travelled over 500,000 miles.
HMS Enterprise’s last Commanding Officer, Commander Malcolm McCallum - who served on the ship for seven years in different roles - previously said the decommissioning ceremony was very poignant for the ship’s company and veterans at the helm over the past 20 years.
Officially named by the ship’s sponsor, Lady Sally Forbes, the vessel was commissioned in 2003. Her first deployment saw her go to the Mediterranean in October 2004, where she participated in a Nato exercises and carry out oceanographic and hydrographic surveys.
One of her major operations was in 2014, where 110 British and EU citizens were evacuated from Libya due to violence escalating in the north African nation. A year later she would rescue migrants crossing the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy. The ship’s company and vessel was awarded the Firmin Sword of Peace for going above and beyond their routine operations. HMS Enterprise surveyed several areas, including Beirut in Lebanon after a huge explosion at the city’s docks. She was also deployed to Beirut in Lebanon following a devastating gas explosion.