CPV Speedwell, UK Border Force, Port of Dover, Kent, England

The 20m HMC Speedwell, also known as CPV Speedwell ('Coastal Patrol Vessel') of the UK Border Force berthed in the Inner Tidal Harbour, part of the Marina:in the Port of Dover:

HMC Speedwell on Monday the 4th of May, 2020. Camera: Google Pixel 2

CPV Hunter and Clock Tower..

A post about CPV Hunter, who was also in port this day, is linked to on the left.

Lifeboat City of London II  in 2010

In front of CPV Speedwell at the bottom of the photo is part of the RNLB 17-09 City of London II lifeboat moored below Dover Lifeboat Station on Crosswall Quay.

Click thumbnail to see a larger size.

MFV Heltborg at Dolphin Hard.

Behind CPV Speedwell is Dolphin Jetty and Dolphin Hard.

Although not normally open to the public, I did manage to take this photo of the MFV Heltborg in 2009.

Click thumbnail to see a larger size.

A Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) is a series of nine digits which are sent in digital form over a radio frequency channel in order to uniquely identify a ship or vessel.

The MMSI for HMC Speedwell is 235118134 which enables her to be tracked in real-time on an AIS ('Automatic Identification System') map:




A 2017 Freedom of Information request (FOI 45061) stated:

I am able to disclose Border Force bought eight (8) x BP ARRC's ('Autonomous Rescue and Recovery Craft'), later renamed as coastal patrol vessels (CPV's) from Delta at a total cost of C£1m, these being all of the eight ex-BP vessels. As at today’s date, we have no immediate plans to purchase more. 

I have no further technical information specifically for HMC Speedwell but surmise from the above that it is similar to that of HMC Active:

Built in 2006, CPV Speedwell served as an Autonomous Rescue and Recovery Craft in the North Sea for supporting oil platform operations.

CPV Speedwell was operated as a daughter craft from a larger offshore support vessel and launched when needed via a davit.

The design includes a deep-vee hull design constructed from fibre-reinforced plastic.

The design is also self-righting and can return to the upright position if capsized.

Propulsion: CPV Speedwell is fitted with twin Caterpillar C18 engines driving twin water jets through a pair of reduction gearboxes

The total installed power of 1,288 kW (1,727 hp) gives CPV Speedwell a top speed of 34 knots (63 km/h) in calm seas, or up to 24 knots (44 km/h) in seas up to 7 metres (23 ft) significant wave height.

A second view of Her Majesty's Cutter Speedwell:

HMC Speedwell on Monday the 4th of May, 2020. Camera: Google Pixel 2

MS Oceana in the Port of Dover

Above CPV Speedwell is the P&O Cruises' passenger ship, MV Oceana.

Along with sister-cruise ships, MV Arcadia and MV Aurora, she has been based in the Port of Dover since late March as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Click the image or link on the left to read more.

The United Kingdom Border Force is a law enforcement agency within the Home Office who secure the national borders by carrying out immigration and customs controls for people and goods entering the country.

As an example of HMC Speedwell's involvement in this role, in 2019 she was involved in an incident in which 16 suspected migrants caught attempting to enter UK on dinghies after crossing English Channel.

Today, the Coronavirus pandemic has made the working life of her crew even more hazardous than before (not least because desperate illegal migrants are hardly in a position to practice social distancing).

My hat goes off to them as it does to those employed in another Dover "front line", Buckland Hospital.

The HMC Speedwell photographs were taken from Crosswall Quay in the Port of Dover during a permitted Covid-19 lockdown bike ride.

A cycling route map and biometrics can be seen on this Polar Flow web page.

Abridged versions of this post are also on Facebook and Twitter.