Britain has several far-flung overseas territories. One of these remote outposts is a small island lying in the South Atlantic Ocean, over 1,200 miles west of the African mainland. Being so remote, and not having an airport until recently, St Helena had to be served by a ship that could transport passengers, mail, food and other supplies. St Helena, one of only a handful of vessels with the designation Royal Mail Ship (RMS), provided a vital link to the island until 2018.
Prior to 1978, the Union-Castle Line ran a service from Europe to South Africa, which could stop at Saint Helena on the way. When Union-Castle withdrew from the route in 1977, the British government had to step in to maintain the island’s lifeline. Their solution was to buy and refit the passenger cargo. Renamed RMS , she serviced the island for over a decade, until her modest size – just 3,150gt – proved insufficient.
