Photos: Vandyke Hepburn
FREEPORT, GRAND BAHAMA, November 10, 2026 — A ROYAL Navy patrol ship that helped Jamaica recover from Hurricane Melissa, and carries its own drone squadron and commando engineers, arrived at Freeport Harbour on Monday for a three-day visit to Grand Bahama.
By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Staff Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
HMS Trent is in the region on the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Patrol Tasking deployment, which focuses on working with regional partners on security, humanitarian aid and disaster response.
Minister of National Security Myles LaRoda, Minister of Urban Renewal and Community Relations Lisa Rahming and Commodore Floyd Moxey of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force were welcomed aboard for talks on the UK-Bahamas security partnership. British High Commissioner Smita Rossetti and Deputy High Commissioner Ryan Griffin also attended.
Mr LaRoda said the ship’s ability to use drones to carry supplies to remote areas was of particular interest to The Bahamas, and that the government wanted to explore ways to build its own capacity in that area.
Describing the country’s location as “Hurricane Alley”, he said The Bahamas spends six months of every year in hurricane season. It was important, he said, to understand what regional partners could offer while building on the country’s decades of experience with storms.
The ship’s commanding officer, Commander Gavin Lowe, said its deployment has three aims: preparing for natural disasters with regional partners, strengthening defence relationships, and supporting operations against drug and other illicit trafficking.
He described the ship’s role after a disaster as that of a “triage unit”, assessing what affected communities need and how best to help. Its commando engineers can restore communications, clear airfields, repair machinery and help bring critical infrastructure back online. The ship carries humanitarian supplies and can produce up to 16 tonnes of water a day.
Commander Lowe said HMS Trent spent four days near the Turks and Caicos Islands when Hurricane Melissa threatened the territory last year. When the storm changed course and struck Jamaica instead, the ship was immediately redirected. He said the crew spent about five days offshore producing water and sending personnel ashore, then helped at a local hospital and school.
He said there are currently close to 90 people aboard, including embarked troops, commando engineers and a drone squadron, which strengthens the ship’s ability to help countries during hurricanes and other emergencies.
HMS Trent is a River-class offshore patrol vessel. It is one of five similar Royal Navy ships permanently deployed around the world, in the Caribbean, the Pacific, the Falkland Islands, the Mediterranean and northern European waters, allowing the navy to keep a constant presence and build relationships with regional partners.
Commander Lowe said the ship had been involved in seizing nearly ten tonnes of cocaine over the past two years, with an estimated street value of almost US$1bn. Most of those seizures came in 2024 and 2025, he said, but this season’s focus has shifted towards partnerships and disaster preparedness.
He said visits to Caribbean countries were critical because they let the UK team understand the systems and capabilities already in place, rather than dictate how countries should respond. They also helped identify where countries could support one another, share expertise and improve co-ordination ahead of future emergencies.
Ms Rossetti said the visit was another chance to strengthen the long-standing defence and security relationship between the two countries. She said the partnership includes training, with several Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers having trained at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, and recalled the UK’s support after Hurricane Dorian.
The crew is also due to meet disaster risk management officials, visit local schools and play a rugby match. On Tuesday, students including Brownies, Scouts, Cadets and Rangers are expected to tour the vessel.
HMS Trent is scheduled to depart on Thursday.
Sources: The Nassau Tribune, Tribune News Network