Technical glitch hits UK's largest warship HMS Prince of Wales in Norway

A minor technical issue has grounded the Royal Navy’s most powerful vessel, HMS Prince of Wales, at a port in Norway — just weeks after it set sail for a high-stakes deployment across the North Atlantic and Arctic. The 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier, which left Loch Long in Scotland earlier this month to provide security in the Atlantic and High North regions, was docked in Stavanger when the problem was detected, the Ministry of Defence said. The ship had been conducting a routine port visit as part of the Carrier Strike Group’s deployment, accompanied by the Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan and the tanker RFA Tidespring. It has been working alongside Nato and the Joint Expeditionary Force throughout the mission. An MoD spokesperson confirmed: “HMS Prince of Wales is currently conducting a port visit to Stavanger as part of the Carrier Strike Group’s deployment across the North Atlantic and Arctic, we expect her to set sail in the coming days.” The Prince of Wales, which is normally based in Portsmouth, is one of the two largest and most powerful vessels ever built for the Royal Navy — the other being its sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth. Weighing 65,000 tonnes, it can reach speeds in excess of 25 knots, has a range of 10,000 nautical miles, and can carry up to 72 aircraft, including a maximum of 36 F-35B fighter jets. Designed to serve for up to 50 years, the ship operates with a standard crew of 678 but can accommodate up to 1,600 people. The nature of the technical issue has not been specified, but the MoD described it as “minor”. The carrier is expected to resume its voyage within days, raising questions about whether the delay will affect the rest of its deployment in Nordic waters.