Type 23 Frigate HMS Montrose has made an historic visit to the United Kingdom’s most remote overseas territory, the Pitcairn Islands in the Pacific, where she has joined the war on pollution and enjoyed the hospitality of locals.

(Image Crown Copyright 2019)

The visit is the first time in over eighteen years a Royal Navy warship has visited the territory; with the last visit being made by HMS Sutherland and RFA Bayleaf in September 2000 as part of their world tour.

In the Royal Navy’s absence, periodic visits are paid by the French Navy’s Polynesian guardship as well as warships from New Zealand that patrol nearby waters to maintain a naval presence in these far flung British waters.

The British territorial waters surrounding the four main islands – Pitcairn, Dulcie, Oneo and Henderson – may be some of the most remote in the world, but they still need protecting. Since March 2015 the entire exclusive economic zone – some 834,334 square kilometres (322,138 sq mi) has been declared as a protected marine area. With advanced satellite technology, managed from a control centre in England, used to monitor and secure some of the most untouched ocean habitats from the perils of pollution and overfishing.

Commander Conor O'Neill inspects the beaches of Henderson Island for plastic waste
Commander Conor O’Neill inspects the beaches of Henderson Island for plastic waste. (Image Crown Copyright 2019)

HMS Montrose supported these efforts by undertaking survey work around each island to monitor the effects of the Pacific currents in disposing plastic and rubbish debris along the shoreline. Henderson Island in particular has been dubbed ‘the most polluted island in the world’, with estimates suggesting close to three hundred items are deposited on its beaches every day. Over two days the ship, and its Wildcat helicopter, visited each island group to gather valuable intelligence.

The footage, captured by the ship’s Leading Photographer Joe Cater, will be provided to conservationist groups ahead of a clean-up operation later this year.

While scanning for garbage may be viewed as a strange task for a warship, it is in fact of vital importance. For these remote island communities, ecological damage can threaten their economic viability through decreased tourism and capacity to produce natural products to export.

In the case of the Pitcairn Island its famous disease-free honey has been a popular export and is said to be served at Buckingham Palace, while adventure tourism and visiting cruise ships provide a vital income stream. In some territories more overt strategic interests may also be at threat; HMS Protector conducted the same role in the British Indian Ocean Territory just last year, helping clear debris to ensure the ongoing viability of the Diego Garcia airbase.

With the Naval Service remaining one of the only government departments with the capability to reach these remote islands, let alone deploy assets such as helicopters to them, these missions will continue to be a permanent fixture of naval deployments to come. Demonstrating the vital role played by the Navy in maintaining all aspects of British sovereignty in territories across the globe.

HMS Montrose is currently crossing the globe on her way to take up posting as the Royal Navy’s forward deployed frigate in the Persian Gulf. Since transiting the Panama Canal in November she has joined her Chilean sisters in a fleet review for the Chilean Navy’s bicentenary and spent Christmas at Easter Island.

She is expected to remain forward deployed for the next three years and, unless she also passes through the British Indian Ocean Territory on her way, this could be her last visit to British waters this decade.

Samuel is a defence commentator with a particular interest in the South Pacific.
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Leo Jones
Leo Jones
5 years ago

I am glad she went to our Pacific waters but appalled it has been 18 years!
The area of British waters in the Pacific is actually bigger than around the British Isles, as the Pitcairn Islands are widely spread out.
They should have a visit at least every few years to remind everyone else that the UK is the sovereign power.

Helions
Helions
5 years ago

Guess that answers the questions from the previous thread! 😀

Cheers!

Cam Hunter
Cam Hunter
5 years ago
Reply to  Helions

Yeah I did ask that. Lol, he probably read it and made this.

JohnHartley
JohnHartley
5 years ago

We really should use a little bit of the bloated aid budget to build a simple airstrip on Pitcairn. I am not talking about a 6000 ft+ runway for jets. Pitcairn is too small for that. What I suggest is a simple strip suitable for STOL twin turboprops. Just big enough to take a BN Islander or Viking Twinotter. You would probably have to level a slope at one end of the island. The excavated material could be used to build a quay, to protect visiting ships from the relentless Pacific surf. Pitcairn just needs a simple air connection to… Read more »

captain P Wash.
captain P Wash.
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnHartley

But, Pitcairn has @ 50 Residents, one Residential area and no real suitable place to build an Airstrip, oh and a GDP 0f @ NZ $250,000. Oh and, The Original Inhabitants Mutinied !!!!!

JohnHartley
JohnHartley
5 years ago

Which is the reason for the airstrip. It is better to spend that 0.7% on dots on the map still British, rather than new Mercedes/BMWs for dictators.
Give Pitcairn a BN Islander airlink to the outside world & see more adventure tourists arrive. Also “Duty of Care”, the ability to airlift casualties to a proper hospital.

Lee1
Lee1
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnHartley

Islanders have a range of 1400km. The nearest airstrip as far as I can tell is about 2100km away and even that one is remote.

JohnHartley
JohnHartley
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee1

At the moment, you can fly Europe to Tahiti on a widebody Airbus (A340). From there you take an ATR twin turboprop to Totegie airport in Mangareva, 1652 km from Tahiti. From there it is a 32 hour (bouncy) boat trip at ten knots to Pitcairn.
So, yes, Mangareva to Pitcairn is within range of a small STOL twin prop airliner.

Chris J
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnHartley

John, having visited Pitcairn, many moons ago, and with a background in civil engineering, I can say with some confidence that it is next to impossible to build an airstrip on Pitcairn, even if the money and political will were there to do it. Conceivably you could level the ground between Taro Ground and the flatland/Ginger Valley areas but these sort of earthworks would be one hell of an undertaking on such a small island. You’d also have to consider impacts on the water table, drainage, agriculture etc. (you’d be paving over some of the most productive land on the… Read more »

JohnHartley
JohnHartley
5 years ago
Reply to  Chris J

Well OK you have been there, but Nepal manages to build simple, cheap STOL airstrips on far worse terrain.

Chris J
5 years ago
Reply to  Chris J

Nepal manages to build these remote airstrips because it’s able to build roads to get the necessary heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators etc.) on site. This isn’t an option on Pitcairn. That said if I recall correctly I think the US has experimented with the ability to air drop a CAT D7/D8 bulldozer from a C5 Galaxy… that could be one way around getting heavy equipment onto the island. If money, political will, local ecology and the local environment etc were not a concern, I’m sure you could build an airstrip if you really, REALLY wanted to. I just can’t see… Read more »

4th watch
4th watch
3 years ago
Reply to  Chris J

Flyingboats remember those? Imperial Airways and all that stuff.

David E Flandry
David E Flandry
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnHartley

No, no, an all-out base, a squadron 0f F-35s, an MPA, V-22, supply facilities for a frigate and SSN. A company of RM and paratroops. Pull a China and enlarge the island. Make the Southern Pacific British again. 🙂
Seriously, occasional visits by ships are sufficient to keep the area connected to the world.

Tim
Tim
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnHartley

Idea (1) Pitcairn is 2200km from the International airport on French Polynesia. So use a V22 Osprey. With auxillary internal tanks it has a range of 3600km. It would need a helipad on Pitcairn with a fuel depot and would need to carry life rafts and buoyancy floats just in case, but it could be done and be good for emergency aid. The rest of French Polynesia could benefit too. However the cost would be a lot for just 50 population. Idea (2) Pitcairn is 6900km from the Falklands (avoiding Argentina). The A330 has a range of 14,800km so could… Read more »

JohnHartley
JohnHartley
5 years ago
Reply to  Tim

Pitcairn to Mangareva (for the ATR airlink to Tahiti), is around 334 to 337 miles depending on which internet source you look at.

Steve Taylor
Steve Taylor
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnHartley

We could buy three AVIC AG600 Kunlong from China…..

Lee1
Lee1
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve Taylor

Where on earth would it dock?

Steve Taylor
Steve Taylor
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee1

Next to the runway 6000 ft long runway John H is going to build. 🙂

JohnHartley
JohnHartley
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve Taylor

A BN Islander can take off in 837 ft (255m). To be safe allowing for load, range temp, you need 1250 ft (320m).
A 1250 ft simple strip is fine. I never said 6000 ft. It is a travesty to say that I did.

Steve Taylor
Steve Taylor
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve Taylor

Sorry. I was scooting back up and down with the scrolling roll and read the wrong figure. But as you want to be huffy about it you idea is has no merit in the slightest.

Chris J
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve Taylor

That’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard… You’d have to find a way to improve the jetty at Adamstown and find some way of providing shelter for the aircraft when docked… But it’s not beyond the realms of possibility…

Steve Taylor
Steve Taylor
5 years ago
Reply to  Chris J

I like amphibious planes. But I was half joking really. I don’t think there is need for an air link really.

farouk
farouk
5 years ago

“The visit is the first time in over eighteen years a Royal Navy warship has visited the territory; with the last visit being made by HMS Sutherland and RFA Bayleaf in September 2000 as part of their world tour.”

Disgraceful and just shows the contempt the Government (All parties) has for British citizens, Makes you wonder what the spongers in the HOP have planned for Gib, Falklands and NI. Happy to throw ‘Loadsmoney’ at those who hate us, offer homes and benefits to those who hate us, but care about those they are supposed to look after…Yer having a Giraffe

Keithdwat
Keithdwat
5 years ago

There has been no article on the future military bases yet! Probably in the post Christmas backlog somewhere. Can’t wait to see it though!

Geoff
Geoff
5 years ago

The Pitcairn group with almost a million km2 EEZ could easily become self sustaining plus if it had an Airport. Tourism and settlement would flourish. i would think that Pitcairn itself would be almost mission impossible to construct a runway. It is not only too small but has no flat land to speak of. Henderson Island would make far more sense with passengers being ferried to Pitcairn. The challenge here would be to do such a development without destroying the Islands unique environment

captain P Wash.
captain P Wash.
5 years ago
Reply to  Geoff

Geoff, I’m guessing the 50 people who live there might not want Tourism and flourishing Settlement.

geoff
geoff
5 years ago

Indeed Cap’n! As you probably know they are almost all descendants of Fletcher Christian and have probably inherited his fear of the long arm of the Law 🙂

captain P Wash.
captain P Wash.
5 years ago
Reply to  geoff

The Long arm of the Law caught up with a fair few of them back along.

JohnHartley
JohnHartley
5 years ago
Reply to  Geoff

You don’t need flat land. Look at the very basic airstrips built in remote parts of Nepal. They can take Islander/TwinOtter type aircraft. The Nepalese airstrips were built with a tiny budget & little equipment, often in areas with no roads, only steep, narrow footpaths. Are UK Islanders AAC or have they gone to the RAF? Anyway, I would send one Islander pilot + a Royal Engineer by the existing plane/boat connection to do a quick survey of Pitcairn. Set up mini, remote weather stations at likely sites. Return to UK for a year & monitor results. That should tell… Read more »

captain P Wash.
captain P Wash.
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnHartley

Why though ?

captain P Wash.
captain P Wash.
5 years ago

John, I would recommend you check out Pitcairn on something like Wiki, You’ll see why I question the need to build airstrips or Ports.

JohnHartley
JohnHartley
5 years ago

It is a British dot on the map. Post Brexit, if we had an awake government (as if), these dots on the map could be very useful. In the meantime, we have a duty of care to the residents & visitors to Pitcairn. Hence the need for rapid casualty evacuation. We seem to be a nation of moaners. We moan about the cost of these dots, then we moan if anyone suggests building something that would make them more sustainable. I feel a simple, cheap STOL airstrip, on a gentle slope, Nepalese style, could provide a cheap emergency link +… Read more »

captain P Wash.
captain P Wash.
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnHartley

Sorry John but I’m not buying your Argument for Spending £££’s on a Dot in the Ocean, however you wish to turn It Into some sort of Revenue generating Tourist’s Oasis. As for the Casualty Evacuation, Duty of care, African Dictator bit, not to mention the Moaners mate, Seriously ? This Is an Island that was Inhabited by Fletcher Christian, a few of his crewmates and some Locals Years and Years ago, They have Kept themselves isolated ever since. It ain’t Hong Kong, the Falklands or the new world, It’s just an Isolated Rock with nothing much to offer.

JohnHartley
JohnHartley
5 years ago

For now, but what about the future? Many people try to guess what will be a future big industry. One that earns a country big bucks. Some are predicting those deep ocean, metal rich nodules, found on the ocean floor. No economic way of hoovering them up to the surface now, but perhaps in 30, 60, 90 years? Having an economic zone of 200 miles around Pitcairn, might be a big economic benefit in the later part of this century. Same for all the other deep ocean dots Britain has on the map. For now, why not boost the economy… Read more »

captain P Wash.
captain P Wash.
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnHartley

Mate, I’ve tried to explain, offer reasons, Give Facts about this tiny Island In the middle of nowhere, Offering Links to Google and Wiki. I’m obviously totally wrong. Go Build yer bloody Airstrip, just don’t use your own money !!!!!!

JohnHartley
JohnHartley
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnHartley

We will have to agree to disagree.
There are many tiny islands in the Caribbean/Seychelles & elsewhere in Polynesia that have built very simple, cheap, short airstrips, to connect them to the outside world by small twinprop airliners.
I am baffled as to why this should be impossible for anything British, when others far poorer & with fewer resources manage it.

captain P Wash.
captain P Wash.
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnHartley

John, The Small Island Is not suitable for an Airstrip or Proper Port especially a Cheap one. There are only 50 people there, one tiny Settlement, no proper roads, It is really remote and any Investment would be Financially Stupid. I really can’t see any reason to change anything.

David E Flandry
David E Flandry
5 years ago
Reply to  JohnHartley

My understanding is all Islanders/Defenders have been transferred to RAF.

Martin
Martin
5 years ago

Hopefully a new generation of VTOL aircraft can solve the islands connection problem in future. I would love to visit but it’s paractically impossible at the moment.

Frank62
Frank62
5 years ago

How about a flying boat?

captain P Wash.
captain P Wash.
5 years ago
Reply to  Frank62

How about building a Bridge ?

keithdwat
keithdwat
5 years ago
Reply to  Frank62

I was thinking that! Im sure back in the old days their would of been some Sunderlands or Empires stopping by!

4th watch
4th watch
3 years ago
Reply to  Frank62

Yes the Shinmawa 2 would be useful & could be based in the Gulf and do the rounds of the Indian Ocean and Pacific.

Nick Bowman
Nick Bowman
5 years ago

How about just visit Pitcairn on a sailboat (if you really want to) and go ashore in a tender -just like Fletcher Christian.

JohnHartley
JohnHartley
5 years ago
Reply to  Nick Bowman

Its a very bouncy 32 hour boat ride. Sea sickness pills are advised on the website & they are trying to get you to book!

David E Flandry
David E Flandry
5 years ago

Most people have no idea just how *small* Pitcairn is, excepting Chris J. Many more tourists would require some sort of lodging. Private firms would only pay for it and other facilities if they saw a profit for them. best thing is to wait for technology to catch up so a VTOL with needed range is available.

4th watch
4th watch
3 years ago

I think we need a class of world deployable RFA or possibly RN ‘sloop’ that has a decent cargo lift capacity. These would have the same role as the Bays but be smaller and less obtrusive, say at 7000t. capable with Mexifloat
They would be able to offload containers of kit and building materials food and medical supplies to remoter parts. Probably only need a couple or so. One forward based one home based or under maintenance. These would be a class of world cruiser support ship less specialised than HMS Protector but in much the same mould.