An active support ship dating back to the Falklands War is still stuck in Portsmouth and remains in a “decrepit state”.

RFA Argus, the UK’s only Primary Casualty Receiving Ship, remains alongside HMNB Portsmouth after being deemed not fit to sail earlier this year. She had her safety certification withdrawn in July, Lloyds Register engineers and other maritime inspectors overseeing her.

The Daily Telegraph reports that the 28,000 tonne vessel was in such a poor state that the vessel’s shaft needed emergency welding to prevent the stern seal from blowing out, flooding the ship. Former First Sea Lord Admiral Lord West of Spithead, Labour House of Lords peer, told the national publication: “RFA Argus is in a decrepit state. It’s appalling she has been allowed to get into a state that’s not seaworthy.”

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RFA Argus remains in a poor state of repair as she remains alongside the Royal Navy base, HMNB Portsmouth. | Royal Navy

placeholder image — RFA Argus remains in a poor state of repair as she remains alongside the Royal Navy base, HMNB Portsmouth. | Royal Navy

The vessel is operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), a civilian naval auxiliary fleet that support the Royal Navy on global deployments and allows ships to remain on operations for longer. Discussions are ongoing to decide if the ship is worth repairing, or if she will be scrapped altogether.

RFA Argus went through a period of de-fuelling and de-storing in October while alongside HMNB Portsmouth. Her phalanx and various containers aboard ship were also removed. Personnel assigned to the ship have be moved across the force, with RFA Tiderace recently re-joining the fleet after being supplemented with crew.

Other RFA ships are also struggling. RFA Lyme Bay is currently alongside Gibraltar following a Royal Marines exercise and will remain there due to budgetary restrictions, The Telegraph said. RFA Cardigan Bay is not operational due to an overrunning refit, while her sister ship, RFA Mounts Bay, is suffering from a manpower shortage. RFA Fort Victoria remains on “extended readiness” and reportedly needs expensive repairs before returning to sea.

Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence (MoD) are reportedly pushing to resolve the situation. Commander Tom Sharpe, a former Royal Navy frigate captain told The Telegraph that the state of the support fleet is “crippling” the Royal Navy and “bold action” is needed to fix the situation.

“The idea of having carriers without fleet solid support ships is just appalling,” he added. “We want to be global and have global ambitions and rightly so. But if we can’t get the RFA to work, we might as well bin it, bin the carriers and just build frigates and destroyers.”

A Royal Navy spokesperson told the national publication that the RFA continues to operate globally in accordance with defence requirements and priorities.