A Royal Navy warship has entered a maintenance period after sailing tens of thousands of nautical miles.

HMS Spey, a River-class offshore patrol vessel that calls Portsmouth her home, is being handed a lengthy and well-deserved break. She has spent the last five years in the Indo-Pacific patrolling the regions waters and representing the UK and the Royal Navy at nearby nations.

HMS Spey, a Royal Navy vessel, has gone into a maintenance period after an extensive deployment in the Indo-Pacific. | Royal Navy

placeholder image — HMS Spey, a Royal Navy vessel, has gone into a maintenance period after an extensive deployment in the Indo-Pacific. | Royal Navy

The decision was confirmed on HMS Spey’s social media account. A statement said: “Five years ago, HMS Spey sailed from Falmouth on her inaugural journey to the Indo-Asian Pacific. Now, 182k nautical miles and 25 countries later, she has entered into dry dock in Singapore for her five Annual maintenance. Cheers to another five years of faithful service on the other side.”

Strong presence in the Indo-Pacific

HMS Spey, alongside her sister ship HMS Tamer, have been operating extensively in the Indo-Pacific for the past several years. Their day-to-day duties involve protecting the freedom of navigation by supporting merchant ships, clamping down on illegal fishing, training alongside Asian and Oceanic nations, conducting port visits, and other operations.

The government has insisted the region is important to the UK from an economic and diplomatic point of view. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer previously called for more Royal Navy patrols to be made in the area to combat China’s sphere of influence.

The work of HMS Spey came under fire from Beijing after she conducted patrols in the Taiwan Strait. This was in accordance to international law and rights provided under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs backed the decision., with China wrongly claiming it has extended rights over the South China Sea.

This came in the wake of HMS Prince of Wales and the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG) being deployment to Australia, Japan, and other parts of the region during Operation Highmast. The 65,000 warship is currently at Yokosuka Naval Base.

British ambassador for Japan, Julia Longbottom, previously said: “Together, as trusted allies, we are strengthening cooperation across defence, economy, and culture. This visit demonstrates our joint determination to safeguard regional stability, and our shared ambition to deliver innovation, prosperity, and a sustainable future for the next generation.”