British ships pay goodwill visit

             Kochi
British naval ships HMS Ocean and HMS Somerset, which are currently on Taurus 09 deployment under the Royal Navy Amphibious Task Group in the Mediterranean, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Far East, docked at the port here on a goodwill visit on Sunday, Apr.26, 2009. During their four-day port call, personnel of Indian and British navies will pay courtesy calls to each other’s ships. HMS Ocean has had some ‘integrated underwater warfare training’ (anti-submarine warfare). From Kochi, the two head to Singapore and Malaysia for an exercise under the Five Powers Defence Agreement.

HMS Ocean, an amphibious assault vessel or a Landing Platform Deck (LPD) had her first year-long refit the Devonport Royal Dockyard facility before being deployed on Taurus 09. HMS Somerset is a Type 23 frigate. Commissioned in 1998, HMS Ocean is a 22,500-tonne vessel. Commissioned in 1996, HMS Somerset, the eleventh of its class has a displacement of 4,900 tonnes.