THE POTENTIAL MINING THREAT TO UNITED KINGDOM PORTS
Introduction.
This short paper is written to explore the Threat posed by Sea Mining and is
not a technical evaluation of the various assets in current or future ORBAT. An
example case is used at the end based on the Clyde.
The potential for mining of United Kingdom ports has been discussed by
DefenceSynergia (DS) over many years. Yet the subject continues to be ignored by
politicians of all persuasions. As a result, the general public, as is the case with all
matters concerning defence, are completely unaware of the threat.
As an island nation, the UK is vulnerable to blockade by mining. There are
around 600 ports in the UK, these vary from large container ports, oil terminals and
LNG facilities, to small commercial operations, ferry terminals and fishing ports. A
large proportion of the nations supply chains are of the “just in time” kind, much of
the requirements arriving by sea. Therefore, it is easy to envisage the negative effect
upon trade should these sea lanes be interrupted. In addition to civil facilities are
military ports such as Marchwood, the two main naval dockyard bases, Devonport
and Portsmouth and HM Naval Base, Clyde, home to all RN submarines and the
nuclear deterrent.
Main Thesis - The covert laying of mines by potential hostile peer nations on the
one hand, or terrorists or others bearing a grudge against the Nation is a constant
and considerable threat that requires more resources.
Main Discussion.
Current Mine Countermeasure Vessels (MCMV) The Sandown class,
single role mine hunters [HMS Bangor is being repaired, but is unlikely to return to
RN service] have now been withdrawn from service, leaving only six Hunt class
MCMV, two of which are forward based in the Persian Gulf, stationed at Bahrain.
These vessels are now the only manned MCM assets available to the Royal Navy. The
policy to take sailors and divers away from the dangers associated with mine disposal
has also led the RN away from manned vessels towards Unmanned Underwater
Vehicles (UUV) and autonomous boats called Royal Navy Motor Boat (RNMB). Albeit,
there is little doubt that the cost savings involved by removing both personnel and
sophisticated GRP hulled MCM vessels also played ia major part.
The current RNMB flotilla comprise 5 x 11m boats, and one larger 15m boat.
The latter is based on the Clyde, and is part of the WILTON trials operation. The boats
are air-portable by RAF A400Ms or C-17s. In addition, there are 3 larger boats,
normally uncrewed, but with a cabin for manned operations if required. Their exact
size is unknown, but is estimated at circa 18/20m. Recent trials have been conducted
in the Clyde.
RNMB Apollo being launched and recovered from SD Northern River, a 2,000 tonne support vessel.
Additionally a modified container known as "CUBE" can be embarked onboard
Hunt class MCMVs. This can maintain and re-charge an autonomous underwater
vessel – the REMUS 300 - which has applications for both MCM and hydrography.
These trials have proved highly satisfactory in both UK waters [cold] and in the Gulf
[warm: up to 30C].
These MCMV and trials assets are totally insufficient to deal with any meaningful
mining campaign against the UK.
The Threat Manned MCVs use specialised sonar to identify mine like objects on
the seabed. These are then classified as mines or non-mines. Mines are disposed of
by divers or UUVs depending on the circumstances. Autonomous MCMVs (RNMB)
will use sophisticated on-board sonar to detect mine like objects and demolish those
classified as mines.
A major problem is created as a result of the lack of patrol assets of the type
and size of those once used by the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service [RNXS]. This
organisation evolved out of the WW2 RN Mine Watching Service, and was tasked
with patrolling naval bases and dockyards, as well as river patrols with regular visits
to small harbours and ports. The RNXS was manned by volunteers who received little
remuneration other than for expenses incurred. Although the RNXS was not involved
in mine countermeasures, their wealth of local knowledge and contacts with harbour
masters and regular port users meant they could identify “unusual” non-routine
traffic and unusual activities. They operated 'Clovelly class' fleet tenders and later
some P2000 patrol boats, the latter reverting to the RN when the RNXS was
disbanded in 1994 as part of the “peace dividend”.
The year before the disbandment of the RNXS, there was a review of the need for,
and therefore the future of the Royal Naval Reserve [RNR]. Extant at the time, it
consisted of eleven sea going Divisions, each of which had a River class minesweeper
[MSF]. These 47m 890 tonne steel hulled ships were built in the mid-80s specifically
to counteract the threat to submarines from deep laid buoyant mines possessed by
the Soviet Union, which could be laid singly or in clusters and posed a serious threat
to submerged boats if laid on dived routes from base to deep waters. These ships
would operate in pairs, or groups of pairs conducting Deep Armed Team Sweeping
[EDATS], a process trialled in the 70s by commercial trawlers on charter, and refined
prior to the design of the Rivers. These handy sized vessels could form the basis of a
more modern design for both MCM and patrol purposes, and would give back a sea
going role to the RNR which could be put to good used in both MCM and coastal
patrol roles. The twelve ships [one was manned by the regular service] were to fall
victims of the “peace dividend” which closed the RNR Divisions and removed the
capability of Mine sweeping from the RNs inventory. It is worth noting that the
Soviets possessed a vast inventory of all types of mines. These apparently simply
disappeared as part of the collapse of the Soviet Union and therefore, according to
the defined wisdom of the day, mining was “old fashioned” and hence no longer of
major concern to the United Kingdom.
HMS Blackwater, the only RN manned River class MSF [courtesy: shipphotos.co.uk]
Potential Threats to United Kingdom Ports. There are major container ports
around the UK - Felixstowe, Liverpool, Grangemouth, London and Southampton to
name a few. There is an important LNG terminal located at South Hook Terminal,
Milford Haven, the largest of its kind in Europe. There are major Ferry hubs at Dover,
Stranraer and Harwich. In addition to these vital commercial ports, the naval bases
and dockyard facilities at Plymouth, Portsmouth and on the Clyde need to be
considered, as do the locations of oil refineries, fuel depots and other maritime
infrastructure used by the Royal Navy and commercial services at various locations
along the mainland and river coastal regions. Disruption of any of these would cause
major economic and security problems to the nation.
An example of the type of threat. Refer to the Clyde map below: The Clyde is
chosen as it hosts a container port at Greenock, the port of Glasgow, some 24 miles
upriver from Greenock and the largest warship construction yards in the UK up-river
at Govan such as the frigate construction hall. On the north bank at Scotstoun new
ships are fitted out. The river also hosts HM Naval Base, Clyde, home to all RN
submarines, Coulport armament jetty, the jetty at Glen Mallan which serves Glen
Douglas naval armament depot, and the oil fuel depot at Loch Striven. There is also a
frequently used cruise liner terminal at the Clydeport facility in Greenock, close to
the container port.
Referring to the map, up-river from the Island of Arran are two smaller islands
near Largs mid-way between the south and north banks of the river, namely
Cumbrae Isle and Wee Cumbrae. All traffic goes through the channel north of the
islands [the Cumbraes Gap]. The water is relatively shallow and submarines transit
on the surface. The Largs channel is shallow, and unsuitable for vessels of any size.
There is a relatively small amount of commercial traffic compared to last
century; the container port handles medium sized ocean going ships, as well as
feeder coasters from Europe and there is similar traffic up to Glasgow. Submarines,
both RN and American frequently transit the area to and from the Gareloch, as do
the SSBNs which operate the UK Continuous At-Sea Deterrent [CASD] patrols.
From the foregoing, it is easy to envisage the scale of the problems that would
accrue from the mining of the river at, say, the Cumbraes Gap, which would
effectively close off both the ports of Greenock and Glasgow, as well as all the naval
facilities on the river, as they are all upstream from the Cumbraes. This could be
carried out by a peer enemy using a quiet, well handled conventional submarine, or
by rogue operators laying mines from a coaster, as another example. There are no
longer any anti-submarine helicopters based in the region, and commercial shipping
report to Clydeport watch tower situated on Wee Cumbrae.
Notes:
The stretch of water north of Helensburgh is the Gareloch [HM Naval Base, Clyde].
The loch to the immediate west is Loch Long, Both Coulport and Glen Mallan jetties
are on the eastern shore. The loch to the north of Rothesay is Loch Striven, home to
Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depot. The Cumbrae islands are those situated between Largs
and Rothesay. The large island on which is situated Brodick is the island of Arran.
Conclusion:
Readers should bear in mind that over 90% of UK trade comes by sea
and through the ports mentioned above. Recently the Red sea conflict and the
container ship that got stuck in the Suez canal are warnings as to how vulnerable
the marine sea lanes of communication are – mining of NATO allies and UK ports
and sea ways is a serious threat that will require far more focus from NATO and UK
Defence Chiefs.
The DefenceSynergia view is that the whole arena of mining must be revisited and
the wholly inadequate numbers of MCM assets and personnel must be funded and
increased to meet this threat.
Lt-Cdr D C Graham RD RNR [Retd] 26 JAN 2025
