British Navy Flagship to Conclude Middle East Tour in Lebanon

The British Embassy announced Thursday that, in a demonstration of “the strength of the enduring UK-Lebanon partnership,” the Fleet flagship of the British Royal Navy will visit Lebanon next week.

The visit will conclude a Middle East deployment of HMS OCEAN, which has seen the warship work with a number of countries East of Suez as well as with other coalition partners, including the U.S., France and Australia, demonstrating “commitment” to the region.

During its stay in the Port of Beirut, the ship will host a series of events designed to “emphasize and deepen the partnership -- in the defense field and beyond -- between the UK and Lebanon, which aims to build a strong state for the benefit of all Lebanese,” a British Embassy statement said.

The ship's visit is not linked to “combat operations,” the statement added.

British Ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter said: “We are very excited by the arrival of HMS OCEAN, the Fleet flagship of the Royal Navy. It’s a symbol of the UK’s leading role in promoting global stability and security.”

“Our defense budget is the largest in Europe, and second largest in NATO. But we are equally proud of our partnership with countries like Lebanon. We remain steadfast in our commitment to Lebanon’s stability, and it’s due to our strong belief in the importance of Lebanese sovereignty that we have focused our support through state institutions like the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces,” Shorter noted.

In the months prior to arriving in Lebanon, HMS OCEAN has been the Flagship for Combined Task Force 50 (CTF50), a multi-national task force maintaining “the free flow of trade, freedom of navigation for shipping and regional security in the Middle East.”

HMS OCEAN weighs 22,000 tons and is the largest operational warship in the Royal Navy, according to the British Embassy statement.

Its primary role is as a helicopter carrier and amphibious assault ship.