The UK’s last Royal Mail ship was scheduled to return to the country this week under its original name.
The 6,767-gt passenger/cargoship St Helena (built 1989) was sold to a marine security company, MNG Maritime, after it carried the last mail and passengers to its namesake island deep in the South Atlantic Ocean in February.
Renamed MNG Tahiti and sent to the Middle East, it was to become a floating armoury and barracks for armed security guards protecting ships in the region. But that role has now come to an end.
The ship was observed in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar late last week under its original name. It was scheduled to arrive in Portland Harbour on the UK's south coast on Wednesday.
The IHS Ships Register indicates that the vessel was sold to a Jersey-registered single-unit entity called St Helena LLP. It is being managed by a company that runs yachts. TradeWinds understands that the new owner of the ship is connected to the Formula 1 racing industry and plans to send it for a two-year conversion into a private yacht.
The St Helena’s original role was rendered obsolete when an airport was built on the island at the end of last year.
