Royal Mail Ship to be withdrawn and sold

St Helena Line (SHL) has announced that it is to withdraw the "St Helena" from service in February 2018 and has appointed London ship broker CW Kellock & Co Ltd to handle its sale. Operated by SHL on behalf of St Helena Government (SHG), RMS has been part of the Island’s history for over quarter of a century and provided the sole regular means of access to the emote UK Overseas Territory located 1200 miles off the West coast of Africa in the South Atlantic. The "St Helen"a is one of only four ships left in the world which has the right to carry the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) prefix. The ship currently operates out of Cape Town calling at both St Helena and Ascension Islands on a regular schedule. With the start of scheduled passenger flights to St Helena on Oct 14, 2017, providing the main passenger access to the Island, the "St Helena" will be withdrawn from service. The "St Helena" is now embarked on its final programmed voyages and is expected to finish its last voyage in Cape Town on Feb 15, 2018. SHL has appointed London ship brokers CW Kellock & Co Ltd (Part of the Eggar Forrester Group), to handle the sale. Commenting on the sale process and her withdrawal from service, SHL’s Chairman, Matt Young said, “The RMS St Helena has played a vital role in sustaining St Helena’s population and, for the past 27 years has been the sole means of regular access to the Island. “Her combined passenger accommodation and cargo design makes her well suited to a number of different trading options and we are confident that she can continue to play an important role elsewhere in the world”.