ST HELENA

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Former RMS to be turned to expedition cruise ship

The Terra Nova Expeditions plans to turn the former RMS 'St. Helena' into an expedition cruise ship, in order to offer “authentic small-ship adventures” in Antarctica. The company plans to start operations in late 2026. In addition to the former ship that linked the St. Helena archipelago with South Africa in the past, Terra Nova plans to operate a tall ship named the 'Icebird', which will be the first sailing expedition vessel, featuring an ice-enforced aluminum hull. The 'St Helena' has undergone an extensive refurbishment and renovation in 2022, which saw an investment of eight million pounds. The ship is currently anchored off Khor Fakkan. It had served the British overseas territory of Saint Helena for nearly three decades before being retired in 2018. The former Royal Mail Ship then briefly served as a floating armory in the Gulf of Oman before being sold to the St. Helena LLC and converted into a transportation hub for a circuit of SUV races. The Terra Nova’s inaugural sailing is currently scheduled for Dec 2026, with the 'St. Helena' embarking on an expedition cruise from Ushuaia.

St Helena's lifeline ship to return as anti-piracy armory

The RMS "St. Helena", Britain’s last working postal ship, will start a new life as a floating armory, packed with automatic weapons, bullet-proof jackets and night vision goggles, all stored for maritime security operatives. Renamed the MNG "Tahiti", the 3ship will undergo some tweaks before sailing to the Gulf of Oman where it will be used to ferry guns and guards to passing vessels navigating stretches of water lurking with pirates, its new operator said on Apr 17, 2018. The floating armory firm MNG Maritime hoped to have it poperating by the middle of the year. Tahiti Shipping, a subsidiary of MNG Maritime, bought the ship for an undisclosed fee on Apr 17, the St. Helena government said. The construction of a commercial airport on the isolated island in the middle of the South Atlantic rendered the ship obsolete, prompting St. Helena authorities to put it up for sale and begin planning a gala Theship was purpose-built by the British government in 1989 to service the island and is the last of a royal mail fleet that once connected the far-flung tentacles of the old British Empire. Its final voyage was marked with a public holiday on St. Helena, with flag-waving crowds gathering on the rocky coastline to catch one last glimpse of the ship that had delivered them everything from car parts to Christmas turkeys.

Royal Mail Ship to be withdrawn and sold

St Helena Line (SHL) has announced that it is to withdraw the "St Helena" from service in February 2018 and has appointed London ship broker CW Kellock & Co Ltd to handle its sale. Operated by SHL on behalf of St Helena Government (SHG), RMS has been part of the Island’s history for over quarter of a century and provided the sole regular means of access to the emote UK Overseas Territory located 1200 miles off the West coast of Africa in the South Atlantic. The "St Helen"a is one of only four ships left in the world which has the right to carry the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) prefix. The ship currently operates out of Cape Town calling at both St Helena and Ascension Islands on a regular schedule. With the start of scheduled passenger flights to St Helena on Oct 14, 2017, providing the main passenger access to the Island, the "St Helena" will be withdrawn from service. The "St Helena" is now embarked on its final programmed voyages and is expected to finish its last voyage in Cape Town on Feb 15, 2018. SHL has appointed London ship brokers CW Kellock & Co Ltd (Part of the Eggar Forrester Group), to handle the sale. Commenting on the sale process and her withdrawal from service, SHL’s Chairman, Matt Young said, “The RMS St Helena has played a vital role in sustaining St Helena’s population and, for the past 27 years has been the sole means of regular access to the Island. “Her combined passenger accommodation and cargo design makes her well suited to a number of different trading options and we are confident that she can continue to play an important role elsewhere in the world”.