"Hollowed out" RFA Argus stuck at Portsmouth Royal Navy base unable to sail as safety certificate "withdrawn"
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A stricken naval support ship is stuck in Portsmouth after having its safety certification withdrawn.
RFA Argus, a medical support ship dating back to the Falklands War, was due to sail to Falmouth in Cornwall for further maintenance. It is now shackled to HMNB Portsmouth, with personnel and other ships being deemed at risk if she sailed.
One source told The Sun: “This is what hollowed-out means. Argus has so many problems. There’s no way they’ll let her sail back for proper repairs.”
Inspectors from Lloyds Register and the maritime and Coastguard Agency are currently overseeing the ship to make sure she meets the minimum safety standards. The Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) currently does not have an active amphibious vessel.
Responding to the mechanical problems, a Royal Navy spokesperson said: “We are collaborating closely with Lloyd's surveyors, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and our industry partners to address issues recently identified with RFA Argus. We do not discuss the material state of our vessels.”
Navy Lookout said RFA Argus had its safety certification “withdrawn” due to a serious of “unresolved issues”. These reportedly include problems with fire doors, a persistent leak from the ballast tank and a worn seal on the main aircraft lift.
The ship was back at sea in April for sea trials and other training drills after spending two years on the side-lines. It was expected that she would return to the fleet full time, and even join part of Operation Highmast - the UK Carrier Strike Group’s (UKCSG) eight month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region headed up by HMS Prince of Wales.
Portsmouth North MP Amanda Martin was among a group of politicians to be given a tour of the ship during a logistics stop in Portland in April this year, while also marking the 120th anniversary of the RFA being formed. Argus’ primary role, with her vast swathe of hospital facilities, would be as a Casualty Receiving Ship and Aviation Training Ship, which would be deployed in the Littoral Response Group.
RFA Argus last deployed in this group to the Eastern Mediterranean in 2023. After responding to regional unrest, she transited through the Suez Canal to the Indo-Pacific region alongside RFA Lyme Bay.