Permanently deployed to support the countries of the region both HMS Tamar and HMS Spey are on a five-year mission around the Pacific region.
HMS Tamar has visited Asia, Australia, Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands and will visit Papua New Guinea after the Solomons.
On Friday 15 May, the vessel visited Tulagi in Central Province before moving on to Honiara for week-long engagements with a range of Solomon Islands institutions, including the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), central and local government and representatives from civil society and the media.
It is fitting that HMS Tamar will first drop anchor at Tulagi as it was here that the British Protectorate set up the first capital of Solomon Islands. The visit is designed to demonstrate deepening partnership between the United Kingdom and Solomon Islands.
During his visit to Honiara in 2023, former UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly highlighted HMS Tamar and HMS Spey as part of the long and warm partnership between the two countries.
British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Paul Turner said
The return of HMS Tamar to Solomons shows how important the UK takes its relationship with Solomon Islands. We want to deepen our partnership and work closer on issues such as maritime security.
The High Commissioner added that the ship’s visit to Tulagi was particularly poignant given the historic links between Tulagi and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
HMS Tamar can perform a variety of roles including deterring illegal fisheries and intercepting drug-traffickers to providing humanitarian assistance in the wake of a disaster.