Ramco extends the life of former Royal Navy patrol boat supporting vulnerable communities in Africa

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 21 November 2023

UPDATED: 21 November 2023

A Royal Navy patrol boat has been rehomed by circular economy specialists, Ramco. It will allow the expansion of health care services to isolated communities in Tanzania.

The former HMS Scimitar was built for use by the Royal Navy in Northern Ireland. It then protected the harbour in Gibraltar and was used by the Home Office before retiring in 2022.

Ramco was tasked with rehoming the boat in early 2023. It needed extensive refurbishment to prepare it for the sea. The team towed it to Southampton for reconditioning work and testing before it was acquired by Vine Trust. Ramco provided a cradle for the vessel to sit on whilst repairs at UK Docks were undertaken.

Vine Trust is an international development charity which supports partners in Tanzania and Peru to provide medical, home-building and care support to communities living in severe poverty.

A team of volunteers at engineering specialists Babcock International helped the Vine Trust transform the boat, installing a new generator, seats and air-conditioning unit. The team also carried out electrical rewiring and serviced the engine.

Kenny Holt, Chief Executive of Vine Trust, says:

“We’re delighted to have been able to work with Ramco and give this boat a new lease of life. The boat, now named the MV Lady Jean, will join the work of the Jubilee Hope Medical Programme and will help roll out anti-retroviral HIV medications to isolated communities in need of this service.

“Over the next 5 years, the programme will provide over 600,000 consultations to patients located on these islands, along with a wide range of primary health care services – and this boat will be an integral part of that.”

Adrian Foreman, Head of Operations at Ramco, says:

“It’s fantastic to know this asset will now be used to provide important services to people in Tanzania. We’ve been on a mission to give surplus assets a new lease of life for over 27 years, and it’s even better when we know these assets are going to be used for such vital work.

“Thanks to the refurbishment of the vessel, we estimate it could have an additional twenty years of life. We’re urging more organisations to see the value in getting involved with the circular economy as it allows them to reduce their carbon footprint and save money. It’s essential that we stop more unwanted, working equipment going to scrap or landfill to help the UK reach its goal of hitting net zero”. 

Find out more about Ramco’s mission to ensure every surplus asset is given a new lease of life: www.ramco.co.uk

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