British surveillance ship RFA Proteus was spotted on our live webcam outbound in the Sound this morning.
A multi-role vessel, tasked with helping to counter the growing threat to vital cables, pipelines, and underwater infrastructure.
The vessel has served with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) since 2023, in a high-profile ceremony on the River Thames next to HMS Belfast.
Serving as a mothership with a wide array of remotely operated and autonomous underwater vehicles (UUVs) and also as a floating test bed for new technologies.
At 6,133 tonnes, it can handle cargo loads up to 1,400 tonnes with a heavy-duty crane.
RFA Proteus incorporates a sizeable hangar for UUVs and workshops, crew accommodations, a cafe, and a lounge area and is named after the son of Poseidon from Greek mythology – Proteus is the god of rivers and bodies of water.
