Introduction
The Island-class patrol vessel was first designed and built for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency. As a result of the Royal Navy's experiences in the so-called Cod War with Iceland, and the success of FPV Jura (loaned to the Navy as HMS Jura) in fishery protection patrols, the Navy built a further seven. These ships were designed and built by Hall Russell of Aberdeen.

FPV Jura and FPV Westra were built by Hall, Russell & Company of Aberdeen in 1973 and 1975 respectively. Jura was loaned to the Royal Navy between 1975 and 1977 for evaluation


Island Class
The success of Jura encouraged the Royal Navy to build a further seven ships to the same design; these ships formed the bulk of the Fishery Protection Squadron, whose mission was to patrol the Atlantic fishing grounds, and ensure the security of the British oil and gas fields in the North Sea. However, since the mid-1990s, the class has been gradually decommissioned; Jersey was sold to the Bangladesh Navy in 1994, to be followed by Shetland, Alderney, Anglesey, Guernsey and Lindisfarne, with Orkney going to Trinidad and Tobago. The Island class was replaced in the Fishery Protection Squadron by the three ships of the River class.


Disposal
Presently, five Island-class patrol vessels are in active service with the Bangladesh Navy. They are Karatoa (ex-Alderney), Kapatakhaya (ex-Shetland), Turag (ex-Lindisfarne), Gomati (ex-Anglesey) and Sangu (ex-Guernsey). Another ex-Royal Navy Island-class vessel, Jersey, is used as the training ship, Ruhul Amin. The final ship of the class, ex-Royal Navy vessel Orkney is in service with the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and named TTS Nelson.

The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency Westra was sold to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in 2006 and is currently named MY Steve Irwin. Jura was sold in 1988 and renamed Criscilla, and then N'Madi. She was broken up in Portugal in November 2001.


Ships In Class
1. HMS Jersey (P295) Commissioned 15th October 1976. Fate: Sold to Bangladesh in 1993, renamed BNS Shaheed Rahul Amin.
2. HMS Orkney (P299) Commissioned February 1977. Fate: Sold to Trinidad and Tobago October 2000, renamed TTS Nelson
3. HMS Shetland (P298) Commissioned 14th July 1977. Fate: Sold to Bangladesh Navy in 2002, renamed BNS Kapatakhaya
4. HMS Guernsey (P297) Commissioned 28th October 1977. Fate: Sold to Bangladesh Navy in 2004, renamed BNS Sangu
5. HMS Lindisfarne (P300) Commissioned 3rd March 1978. Fate: Sold to Bangladesh Navy in 2004, renamed BNS Turag
6. HMS Anglesey (P277) Commissioned 1st June 1979. Fate: Sold to Bangladesh Navy in 2003, renamed BNS Gornati
7. HMS Alderney (P278) Commissioned 6th October 1979. Fate: Sold to Bangladesh Navy in 2002, renamed BNS Karatoa


Specifications
Displacement: 1,000 tons (standard) 1,280 tons (full load)
Length: 195 ft (59 m) (overall)
Beam: 36 ft (11 m)
Draft: 14 ft (4.3 m)
Propulsion: 1 shafts, 2 diesel, 4,380 hp (Ruston-Paxman) Variable-pitch propeller.
Speed: 16 knots (30 km/h)
Range: 11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) at 11 knots (20 km/h)
Complement: 35
Sensors and processing systems: Type 1006 Radar, Simrad RU sidescan sonar
Armament: 1 × Bofors 40 mm gun Mark III, replaced by 1 × 30mm gun in some ships