A Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship has dropped anchor off the coast of Dorset.

The RFA Proteus is a ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary within His Majesty's Naval Service of the United Kingdom.

The ship has dropped anchor of the coast near to Seatown.

It also made a recent port call to Portland on Sunday.

The role of the ship is primarily acting as a platform for remotely operated underwater vehicles, as well as being a testbed for new specialist capabilities, required for monitoring waters important to UK interests.

RFA Proteus was acquired by the Ministry of Defence in February 2023 for £70 million, with the official title of ‘multi-role ocean surveillance ship.’

The ship has a 7.2m2 opening moon pool which allows underwater vehicles to enter into or leave the water easily within a protected environment.

It is also equipped with a 120-tonne crane as well as a hangar and workshops capable of accommodating remotely operated and other unmanned underwater vehicles.

The crane has a 3,000m long wire which enables objects to be directly lowered to the seabed.

RFA Proteus is also equipped with a flight deck and has a gross tonnage of 6,133 and a length of 321ft, 10in.

The ship also has accommodation on board and comprises fifty-three cabins with eighty-two bunks, which are split across twenty-four single cabins and twenty-nine double cabins.

There is also a single cafeteria and several mess and lounge spaces for the crew to relax in.