The MV ''Forth Hope'' is a medical ferry operated by the Vine Trust as part of the charity's

Amazon Hope The Vine Trust is an international charity based in Leith, Scotland. It is involved in volunteer programs and supporting the delivery of medical projects, principally the Amazon Hope project in Peru and the Jubilee Hope project in Tanzania. A co ...

project. The ship operates on the Amazon River from a base in Iquitos in

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

. The ''Forth Hope'' is in length and has a beam of . In her medical missionary role, she is equipped with consultation rooms, an

operating theatre An operating theater (also known as an operating room (OR), operating suite, or operation suite) is a facility within a hospital where surgical operations are carried out in an aseptic environment. Historically, the term "operating theater" refe ...

laboratory A laboratory (; ; colloquially lab) is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Laboratory services are provided in a variety of settings: physic ...

, pharmacy, and

dental surgery Dental surgery is any of a number of medical procedures that involve artificially modifying dentition; in other words, surgery of the teeth, gums and jaw bones. Types Some of the more common are: * Endodontic (surgery involving the pulp or r ...

. The vessel flys a Cayman Islands flag, it has a draught of 1.9 metres, is 35 metres long and 10 metres in breadth, with a maximum speed of 7.1 knots.

History

The ''Forth Hope'' was originally built in 2002 by Abels Shipbuilders of

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

for the

Gosport Ferry Company Ltd The Gosport Ferry is a ferry service for pedestrians and cyclists operating between Gosport and Portsmouth in Hampshire, southern England. It is currently operated by Gosport Ferry Ltd, a subsidiary of the Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Company Ltd, it ...

. She is a twin sister ship to the ''

Spirit of Gosport MV ''Spirit of Gosport'' is a vessel owned by the Gosport Ferry Company Ltd and built by Abels Shipbuilders in Bristol. History ''Spirit of Gosport'' was built in 2001 to replace ''Portsmouth Queen The ''Portsmouth Queen'' was a vessel own ...

'', a passenger ferry also built by Abels, that connects Gosport and

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...

on England's south coast. ''Forth Hope'' was intended to be named ''Spirit of Portsmouth'' and operate alongside her sister. However she was only partially constructed when the ferry company cancelled the order, and she was never given her intended name, which was eventually reused for a subsequent ''

Spirit of Portsmouth MV ''Spirit of Portsmouth'' is a vessel owned by the Gosport Ferry Company Ltd The Gosport Ferry is a ferry service for pedestrians and cyclists operating between Gosport and Portsmouth in Hampshire, southern England. It is currently operated ...

'' built by VT Halmatic. The unfinished vessel remained at Abel's shipyard in Bristol Harbour for many years, until it was finally completed in 2016. After completion, the vessel was moved to

Rosyth Dockyard Rosyth Dockyard is a large naval dockyard on the Firth of Forth at Rosyth, Fife, Scotland, owned by Babcock Marine, which formerly undertook refitting of Royal Navy surface vessels and submarines. Before its privatisation in the 1990s it was ...

on the Firth of Forth via the

Irish Sea The Irish Sea or , gv, Y Keayn Yernagh, sco, Erse Sie, gd, Muir Èireann , Ulster-Scots: ''Airish Sea'', cy, Môr Iwerddon . is an extensive body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Ce ...

and Caledonian Canal, before being outfitted by Babcock Marine for her new role as a medical ship. In May 2017 the ship was formally named ''Forth Hope'' by the

Princess Royal Princess Royal is a style customarily (but not automatically) awarded by a British monarch to their eldest daughter. Although purely honorary, it is the highest honour that may be given to a female member of the royal family. There have been se ...

, who is patron of the Vine Trust. Leaving the Forth in July, the vessel completed her delivery voyage, of nearly , when she arrived in Iquitos on 7 September 2017. The vessel was again visited by the Princess Royal in September 2017, this time whilst she was moored at the Peruvian village of Oran.

References

External links

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Forth Hope Forth Hope Missionary ships {{ship-stub