UK aircraft carrier docks here in first formal port call in region

It will welcome 600 members of the public who balloted for free tickets, host activities

- Ng Wei Kai

British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, one of the largest warships in the world, has docked at Marina Bay Cruise Centre (MBCC).

The carrier, whose flight deck is large enough to fit three football pitches, is making its first formal port call in the region at the head of a group of ships on a multi-nation, UK-led deployment.

While docked in Singapore, the warship will play host to some 600 members of the public who balloted for free tickets earlier in the year, as well as a series of activities.

This includes a defence and security industry day, where some 30 British businesses will hold an expo in the carrier's hanger, as well as a science and technology symposium where experts from both countries will discuss technological developments.

It will also host panel discussions on defence and security, and a friendly e-sports tournament between British and Singapore soldiers.

As the carrier pulled into the bay, it was greeted by the Royal Marines Band and a crowd including schoolchildren waving British and Singapore flags. On board, sailors stood at attention on its deck in a navy tradition known as Procedure Alpha.

The arrival of the HMS Prince of Wales is a critical demonstration of Britain's commitment to the Indo-Pacific, said British High Commissioner Nik Mehta.

The visit comes amid a tumultuous global environment, where there is a "need to demonstrate the importance of stability around the world, stability in the Indo-Pacific, and stability in the Euro-Atlantic", he said at a media briefing on June 19 ahead of the carrier's arrival.

Britain's position is that stability in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic are indivisible, he added.

"You can't have one without the other, and that's why the carrier strike group coming to this part of the world is so important."