Welcome to archived web page for HMS Endurance.
A Class 1 Icebreaker she was originally built in Norway in 1990 as MV Polar Circle. The RN chartered her in 1991 before she commissioned as HMS Polar Circle on 21 Nov 91. She was subsequently renamed HMS Endurance. Her Mission was "To patrol and survey the Antarctic and South Atlantic, maintaining Sovereign Presence with Defence Diplomacy and supporting the global community of Antarctica". This involved close links with the Foreign Office, United Kingdom Hydrographic Office and the British Antarctic Survey. She deployed annually to the Antarctic, her operating area for 7 months of the year. Her base port was Portsmouth, which was also the ship's affiliated town. The Ship's motto was " Fortitudine Vincimus" ~ 'By Endurance We Conquer' The motto originated from that of the great Antarctic explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton who made history in his ship, 'Endurance' in his expedition south in 1914-15.