Sir Tristram arrived in Falmouth in early May, having been laid up in Portsmouth since early 2006. The four month conversion included the installation of training aids, removing any redundant equipment and installing monitoring systems on board for the safety of the trainees.

Alan L’Enfant, ship superintendent on behalf of the Ministry of Defence said, ‘The conversion of Sir Tristram at A&P Falmouth has been a hugely successful project. The vessel is scheduled to be leaving the yard next week and will go on to serve as a highly capable training platform for many years to come.’

Sir Tristram, built in 1967, operated as part of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) flotilla and saw worldwide service in operations in the Falklands, Persian Gulf, Balkans and Sierra Leone. The vessel will replace the current training vessel Rame Head, which will now be placed on the disposal list.