Prestigious honour on the horizon with planned visit of Royal Navy vessels

The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Peter Johnston, has described the scheduled arrival of the Royal Navy into Carrickfergus Harbour as ‘a prestigious honour’ for the entire borough.

Elected members were informed of the visit by three P2000 Patrol Boats to the waters surrounding Carrickfergus Castle, by Council Chief Executive Anne Donaghy at this month’s Full Council meeting.

The visit will take place on Wednesday, 22 July, and is part of the Royal Navy’s summer deployment.

Seven Archer Class P2000 Patrol Boats will sail around the coastline of Scotland and Northern Ireland this month, stopping off in a select number of harbours, of which Carrickfergus is one.

At 20 metres in length, the vessels are some of the smallest in the Royal Navy Fleet, meaning Carrickfergus is the ideal location for berthing.

Welcoming the announcement, Mayor Johnston said:

“The planned arrival of the Royal Navy to Carrickfergus Harbour on Wednesday 22 July is a prestigious honour for the Borough of Mid and East Antrim.

“I have no doubt people will be very excited to come and see the P2000 Patrol Boats from the shoreline, in the breath-taking setting of the town’s famous Norman Castle, and I would remind everyone to adhere to the social distancing and public health guidelines when doing so.

“Our borough has a long and proud connection with our Armed Forces, and just last month I was delighted to welcome the First Minister and her Junior Minister, along with other distinguished guests, as we marked the start of the 2020 Armed Forces Day celebrations.”