Royal Navy’s only ice patrol ship towed into Devonport amid repair doubts

The Royal Navy’s only ice patrol ship, the HMS Protector, was towed into Devonport by tugs yesterday. According to Navy Outlook, officials said it was to allow “investigations into a defect to take place.” The Telegraph wrote that this was a double-engine defect while at sea.

Navy Outlook wrote, “She remains part of the fleet for now, but it is likely she is beyond economical repair.” Analysts believe preparations for her disposal are the most likely reason for her return to Devonport, although the Royal Navy hasn’t confirmed this.

At 25 years old, she is at the typical maximum age for a vessel of her type. She is nicknamed the “Swiss Army Knife” and carries a complement of 88 and sometimes a Royal Marines detachment. She is normally lightly armed.

Royal Navy’s stopgap MV Polarbjørn

The ice patrol ship was built as the MV Polarbjørn, a polar research and subsea support vessel, in 2001 and was chartered by the Royal Navy in 2011 as a three-year stopgap measure. The ship was purchased in September 2013 for £54 million.

Commissioned as HMS Protector, she worked hard for the Royal Navy between 2015 and 2019. She was maintained in South Africa and was even able to be deployed for around 330 days annually with rotating crews. Among her notable missions was searching for the Argentine submarine ARA San Juan in 2017.

She continued working through to 2025, with a ten-month refit from 2019, causing her to miss the 2020-2021 season. Later she spent a seven-month docking period in 2025.

HMS Protector emerged from a scheduled maintenance period in August 2025 and set out on trials in December ahead of deployment. But she did not head south for the 2025-2026 summer season as expected.

No replacement until the 2030s without another stopgap

If she cannot be repaired, then the Royal Navy will likely be without a replacement until the 2030s, despite pressure from Russia in the Arctic and North Atlantic, and Argentina’s increased rhetoric over the Falkland Islands.

The Defence Investment Plan commits to a replacement for the HMS Protector, termed a “more modern variant” by ministers. It is to patrol both the Arctic and Antarctic, although it is unclear if this can be realistically achieved with a single vessel.

The plan states, “HMS Protector, the UK’s ice patrol ship, has given sterling service to the Royal Navy and we will replace her with a more modern variant to maintain this essential presence and support Government activities in the Arctic and around the British Antarctic Territory.”

For now, it remains unclear if the Royal Navy will require another stopgap solution before such a vessel can be delivered.

HMS Protector is typically tasked with patrolling the South Atlantic and providing support for the Falkland Islands. The scheduled retirement of Batch 1 River-class patrol ships in 2028 will add further strain.