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World Shipping DirectoryCompanies · Ships · Fleets

A public reference property of Baalvion

Open data · every figure carries its source

World Shipping DirectoryCompanies · Ships · Fleets

Royal Navy

State-operated fleet

Headquarters: Whitehall
Founded: 1546
Employees: 32,500

Official website

Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · file

Ships in this registry

124

Counted from individual vessel records · Wikidata

Reported fleet size

—

No published figure available

Container capacity

—

Not a ranked container line

Gross tonnage on record

264,791

Summed over 46 ships reporting tonnage

In brief

What Royal Navy is

Full article ↗

The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom, responsible for defending the country, the Crown Dependencies, and the Overseas Territories from naval attack or invasion. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the English Navy of the early 16th century, making it the oldest of the United Kingdom's armed services. It is consequently known as the Senior Service.

From the early 18th century until the Second World War, it was the world's most powerful navy. The Royal Navy played a key part in establishing and defending the British Empire, and four Imperial fortress colonies and a string of imperial bases and coaling stations secured the Royal Navy's ability to assert naval superiority. Following World War I, it was significantly reduced in size. During the Cold War, the Royal Navy transformed into a primarily anti-submarine force, hunting for Soviet submarines and mostly active in the GIUK gap. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, its focus returned to expeditionary operations.

Corporate profile

Identity and registration

Legal name: —
Industry: —
Legal form: —
Country of registration: United Kingdom
Headquarters: Whitehall
Formed in: —
Founded: 1546
Dissolved: —
Employees: 32,500
Head office coordinates: 51.5042, -0.1264

Ships on record here: 124
Vessel types operated: 11
Flag states used: 15
Average vessel age: 46.0 years
Oldest vessel on record: 1924
Newest vessel on record: 2020
Largest vessel by tonnage: 28,766
Average tonnage: 5,756
Market share: —
Parent company: Ministry of Defence
Alliance: —
Record source: wikidata
Last refreshed: 2026-09-05

Fleet on record

What this company sails

Composition of the 124 vessels this registry attributes to Royal Navy. Bars are true proportions of that set, not of the company's full fleet.

By vessel type

By flag state

By shipbuilder

VT Group19

Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited16

Swan Hunter15

BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships8

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation4

Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering4

Harland and Wolff4

Delivery history

10-year fleet record

Ships delivered in each of the last 10 years, counted from the recorded build year of vessels attributed to this company, with the running total of its fleet on record. 6 deliveries fall inside this window.

Year	Ships delivered	Gross tonnage added	Fleet on record
2017	0	—	107
2018	1	2,453	108
2019	2	2,500	110
2020	3	4,953	113
2021	0	—	113
2022	0	—	113
2023	0	—	113
2024	0	—	113
2025	0	—	113
2026	0	—	113

Vessel records

Ships on record

124 vessels

Ship	IMO	Type	Flag	Built	Gross tonnage	Deadweight	Length	Builder
HMS Ark Royal	8949575	Naval / patrol	—	1985	28,766	—	210.0 m	Swan Hunter
HMS Albion	9160592	Unclassified	—	2003	24,471	—	176.0 m	BAE Systems Marine
HMS Bulwark	9160607	Unclassified	United Kingdom	2004	24,471	—	176.0 m	BAE Systems Marine
HMS Illustrious	8949563	Naval / patrol	—	1982	20,600	—	210.0 m	Swan Hunter
HMS Ocean	9079456	Unclassified	—	1998	20,500	—	208.0 m	Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering
HMS Daring	4907749	Naval / patrol	—	2009	10,129	—	152.0 m	BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions
HMS Dauntless	4907751	Naval / patrol	—	2010	10,129	—	152.4 m	BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions
HMS Defender	4907878	Naval / patrol	—	2011	10,129	—	152.4 m	BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships
HMS Diamond	4907763	Naval / patrol	—	2010	10,129	—	152.4 m	BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions
HMS Dragon	4907866	Naval / patrol	—	2010	10,129	—	152.4 m	BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships
HMS Scott	9127289	Research / survey	United Kingdom	1997	9,498	—	131.0 m	Appledore Shipbuilders
HMS Challenger	7907697	Naval / patrol	United Kingdom	1984	9,111	—	149.5 m	Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
HMS Glengyle	5132004	Passenger vessel	United Kingdom	1940	8,957	—	—	Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company
HMY Britannia	8635306	Yacht	—	1953	5,769	—	126.0 m	John Brown & Company
HMS Endurance	8901561	Research / survey	Norway	1990	5,129	—	91.0 m	Ulstein Verft
HMS Protector	9233997	Research / survey	Norway	2001	4,985	—	89.0 m	Havyard Ship Technology
HMS Campbeltown	4907139	Naval / patrol	United Kingdom	1989	4,900	—	148.0 m	Cammell Laird
HMS Monmouth	8949630	Naval / patrol	—	1993	4,200	—	132.9 m	Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited
HMS Princess Beatrix	5285320	Naval / patrol	Netherlands	1941	4,135	—	—	De Schelde, Vlissingen
HMS Liverpool	4907062	Naval / patrol	—	1982	4,045	—	—	Cammell Laird
HMS Navigator	8414661	Unclassified	Togo	1985	3,797	—	97.0 m	Pella Sietas
HMS Enterprise	9234020	Research / survey	United Kingdom	—	3,778	—	90.6 m	Appledore Shipbuilders
HMS Argyll	8949599	Naval / patrol	—	1991	3,500	—	132.9 m	Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited
HMS Medway	9752060	Naval / patrol	United Kingdom	2019	2,500	—	90.5 m	BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships
HMS Trent	9752072	Naval / patrol	United Kingdom	2020	2,500	—	90.5 m	BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships
HMS Forth	9752058	Naval / patrol	United Kingdom	2018	2,453	—	90.5 m	BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships
HMS Tamar	9819301	Naval / patrol	United Kingdom	2020	2,453	2,084	90.0 m	BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships
HMS Clyde	9367425	Naval / patrol	United Kingdom	2007	2,110	—	82.0 m	VT Group
HMS Mersey	9261346	Naval / patrol	United Kingdom	2003	2,109	—	79.5 m	VT Group
HMS Severn	9261334	Naval / patrol	United Kingdom	2003	2,109	—	75.0 m	VT Group
HMS Roebuck	8410196	Research / survey	Bangladesh	1986	1,432	—	—	Brooke Marine, Lowestoft
BNS Bijoy	7920015	Naval / patrol	—	1982	1,349	—	81.0 m	Hall, Russell & Company
HMS Beagle	4902921	Research / survey	Italy	1968	1,260	—	60.4 m	Brooke Marine
HMS Atherstone	4906666	Unclassified	—	1987	625	—	60.0 m	VT Group
HMS Brocklesby	4906616	Unclassified	United Kingdom	1983	625	—	60.0 m	VT Group
HMS Cattistock	4906599	Unclassified	United Kingdom	1982	625	—	60.0 m	VT Group
HMS Shoreham	4906812	Unclassified	United Kingdom	2002	450	—	52.5 m	VT Group
Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu	4906800	Unclassified	Romania	2001	450	—	53.0 m	VT Group
HMS Hurworth	8401509	Unclassified	United Kingdom	1986	384	—	38.0 m	VT Group
HMS Ranger	8937845	Naval / patrol	United Kingdom	1988	100	—	20.8 m	VT Group
HMS Chatham	4907141	Naval / patrol	—	1990	0	—	—	Swan Hunter
HMS Manchester	4907074	Naval / patrol	—	1982	0	—	—	Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering
HMS Northumberland	8949666	Naval / patrol	—	1994	0	—	133.0 m	Swan Hunter
HMS Nottingham	4907050	Naval / patrol	—	1983	0	—	—	VT Group
HMS Westminster	8949654	Naval / patrol	—	1993	0	—	133.0 m	Swan Hunter
HMS York	4907103	Naval / patrol	—	1985	0	—	141.0 m	Swan Hunter
Chilean frigate Almirante Cochrane	8949587	Naval / patrol	United Kingdom	1990	—	—	—	Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited
Chilean frigate Almirante Lynch	8949692	Naval / patrol	—	1997	—	—	—	Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited
Gardline Locater	7048063	Unclassified	—	1946	—	—	52.6 m	Blyth Shipbuilding Company
HMAS Kanimbla	5264936	Passenger vessel	—	1936	—	—	—	Harland and Wolff
HMAS Reserve	5417052	Tug	Australia	1942	—	—	—	Levingston Shipbuilding Company
HMAS Westralia	7342017	Naval / patrol	—	1979	—	—	170.7 m	Cammell Laird
HMNZS Endeavour	5022364	Research / survey	United Kingdom	1944	—	—	—	American Car and Foundry Co.
HMS Activity	5050969	Unclassified	—	1942	—	—	—	Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company
HMS Ameer	5298030	Unclassified	—	1943	—	—	—	Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation
HMS Attacker	5111622	Unclassified	—	1942	—	—	—	Western Pipe and Steel Company
HMS Bangor	4906783	Unclassified	—	2000	—	—	—	VT Group
HMS Bulldog	4902907	Research / survey	United Kingdom	1968	—	—	57.8 m	Brooke Marine
HMS Bulolo	5055177	Passenger vessel	United Kingdom	—	—	—	—	—
HMS Cardiff	4907024	Naval / patrol	—	1979	—	—	—	Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering

Showing 1–60 of 124 · page 1 of 3

Ships in registry counts individual vessel records attributed to the company here. Reported fleet is the company’s published total. They measure different things and are shown separately on purpose.

In context

How Royal Navy compares

Counts over companies and vessels actually held in this directory — not over the world fleet, which is larger. Nothing here is estimated.

United Kingdom is the country of registration for 97 commercial operators in this directory. Between them those companies hold 260 vessels here. See every operator registered in United Kingdom.