HMS Protector will not deploy to Antarctica for the 2026/27 season, leaving Britain without an ice patrol ship in the South Atlantic for a second consecutive year while the government looks at how to cover the gap, according to an answer given in Parliament.
Ben Obese-Jecty, the Conservative member for Huntingdon, asked what steps are being taken to ensure an ice patrol vessel is available for the coming season.
Luke Pollard, the Minister of State for Defence, said: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, HMS Protector will not deploy to Antarctica for the 2026/27 season. The Ministry of Defence is working apace with partners across Government to develop options to support the UK’s Antarctic requirements in the absence of an ice patrol ship in 2026/27 and restore an ice patrol capability as soon as possible.
“The Defence Investment Plan announced plans to replace HMS Protector with a more modern variant to maintain this essential presence and support Government activities in the Arctic and around the British Antarctic Territory. Decisions on the method of procurement and the exact replacement timeline will be taken in due course.”
Answering a separate question, Louise Sandher-Jones, the Minister for the Armed Forces, confirmed that the ship last went south during the 2024-25 season. Pollard told Parliament last week that Protector could not sail from Teesside to Devonport under her own power this month because of propulsion defects and had to be towed, and that she missed the 2025-26 season because of prolonged essential and mandatory maintenance.
The ship is the Royal Navy’s only ice patrol vessel and carries out Britain’s survey and inspection commitments under the Antarctic Treaty, alongside supporting the British Antarctic Survey and maintaining a presence around the British Antarctic Territory. She was bought in 2011, originally built as the Norwegian vessel Polarbjørn, and was taken on initially as a short-term replacement for HMS Endurance, which was crippled by flooding in 2008 and never returned to service.
Would a Canadian icebreaker be a solution as they are building 6 and extra one could be well priced as well as sending a wonderful message.
I doubt that will happen, there is no money. There is lots of talk though….
The Harry DeWolf class wouldn’t really work as a replacement. They’re only rated to PC5 (medium first-year ice up to 1m), whereas Protector has a PC6 hull designed for heavy Antarctic multi-year pack ice. On top of that, the Canadian ships are armed patrol vessels (AOPS) built for Arctic sovereignty and surface surveillance, whereas Protector is a survey and research support ship to support the British Antarctic Survey.
Unforeseen circumsatnces? Like we don’t want to spend any money.
Next deployment is to Aliagia