Look back on HMS Enterprise's expansive Royal Navy career, sailing across the world and retiring in Portsmouth

The 297ft long ship - a multi-role survey vessel - hydrographic oceanographic - worked alongside her sister ship HMS Echo and had an extensive 20 year career. Both ships were designed to conduct survey operations in support of submarines or amphibious operations.

HMS Enterprise also held a secondary role of being a mine countermeasure vessel. Officially named by the ship’s sponsor, Lady Sally Forbes, the vessel was commissioned in 2003. Her first deployment saw her go tot he Mediterranean in October 2004, where she participated in a Nato exercises and carry out oceanographic and hydrographic surveys.

The vessel would proceed to the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin in 2005, working alongside the Saudi military. Her biggest deployments included a 19 month operation in West Africa, South Africa, the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf - deploying for an extended two year operation in 2009 to West Africa and east of the Suez Canal.

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She returned to the UK in June 2011, covering over 50,000 miles. 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 to Libya. 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.

After her 20 year career, HMS Enterprise was decommissioned in Portsmouth on March 30, 2023. She travelled over 500,000 miles throughout her time in the Royal Navy. Commanding Officer Commander Malcolm McCallum said despite the vessel being retired, surveyors will be deployed with better kit and technology.