The UK military port of Marchwood, on the River Test, opposite the civilian terminals at Southampton, has dispatched a cargo of operational equipment and supplies on behalf of the British Army. The voyage was in support of a military cooperation between the nations of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).
In a strategic show of maritime coordination and military logistics, the UK-operated vessel MV Hartland Point successfully completed a high-security voyage from the military port of Marchwood to Paldiski, Estonia, transporting more than 3,500 tonnes of British Army equipment under multinational escort as part of a wider NATO exercise.
Historic context
Sailing from Marchwood on April 24, the 193m Ro-Ro vessel arrived in Estonia on April 27, following an 820-nautical-mile journey across the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The operation, codenamed Baltic Express, was part of Razoredge, a Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) deployment involving NATO and JEF allies across Northern Europe.
The 23,000-tonne MV Hartland Point (tracked on Ship2Port.com), described as a key asset in the UK’s strategic sealift capability, departed from Marchwood, a military port with deep historical roots on the south coast of England. Established during the Second World War to support the D-Day landings, Marchwood remains a vital logistics hub, home to the British Army’s 17th Port & Maritime Regiment. It’s also regularly used by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Sea and air coordination
Escorted convoys such as Baltic Express are increasingly relevant today, as the Royal Navy and its allies maintain a presence in international waters where piracy and state-sponsored threats remain active. The escorting of cargo vessels in the Red Sea and other hotspots mirrors the historic Atlantic Convoys of World War II, reinforcing the strategic importance of secure maritime logistics.
As the MV Hartland Point approached the Baltic Sea, the vessel and escort were met by the Danish frigate Absalon and the patrol vessel Freja, which escorted the ship through the Kattegat before handing over to the Swedish corvette Sundsvall. Air cover was provided by two RAF Typhoon fighter jets from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing, deployed in Poland under NATO’s air policing operations.
Collective readiness enhances civilian development
Throughout the voyage, Hartland Point’s progress was closely monitored by regional operations centres across Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Command and coordination support was provided by Commander Task Force Baltic, a NATO and German Navy headquarters in Rostock. As reported earlier by WorldCargo News, the civilian ro-ro port of Paldiski is being upgraded as part of a wider redevelopment programme at Tallinn.
The cargo, destined for the British Army’s 4th Light Brigade Combat Team, will support a major defence exercise with Estonian forces throughout May. These manoeuvres are one of many under Razoredge, a multi-domain campaign designed to enhance collective readiness and deterrence in the Baltic Sea region.
Clear and present threat
“This successful escorting mission was our contribution towards enabling a major national exercise in Estonia,” said Captain Dan Thomas RN, senior officer for Baltic Express. “It also demonstrated how we would reinforce our allies in the eastern Baltic Sea in a NATO Article 3 context,” he said, referring to the clause for national and collective resilience as an essential basis for credible deterrence and defence.
JEF is a collaboration of ten nations in the Baltic and North Atlantic region. The Razoredge campaign is couched in the military-diplomatic language of prudence. However, it is clearly guarding against incursions and disruptions from state actors, principally Russia.