Charity Plans to Move Aging Frigate From Pakistan to UK as Museum Ship
A charity organization in the United Kingdom is undertaking an ambitious project that will see a decommissioned Royal Navy warship make a 6000-mile journey from Pakistan to the Clyde, where she will start a new life as a floating museum and education center.
In a mission aimed at preserving the rich shipbuilding history of the River Clyde for future generations, Clyde Naval Heritage (CNH) said plans are ongoing to bring the former HMS Ambuscade back to the UK.
Commissioned in 1975, the Amazon class Type 21 frigate served during the Falklands conflict as an electronic warfare picket ship, and took part in several bombardments of Argentine positions. In 1993, the warship was decommissioned and sold to the Pakistan Navy and recommissioned as PNS Tariq. She remained in active service for three decades.
CNH is announcing that the Pakistan government has since donated Ambuscade to the charity to become part of the Clyde Naval & Shipbuilding Heritage site. Plans are underway to bring the vessel back to the Clyde with the ship expected to make the 6,000-mile journey from Karachi later this year. On arrival, the intention is to preserve her as a floating museum and ensure she helps preserve the rich shipbuilding history of the River Clyde.
The Clyde’s shipbuilding history spans centuries, evolving from the construction of medieval fishing vessels to becoming one of the world’s most important industrial shipbuilding centers. Many commercial and naval warships have been built in the Clyde’s shipyards for both the Royal Navy and many countries around the world. They include world’s most iconic transatlantic liners such as the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and QE2. Unfortunately, most of the shipyards are long gone and only a few pockets remain of the region's shipbuilding heritage.
As part of the project to bring Ambuscade back to the Clyde, CNH has appointed consultancy firm Tricolor Collective as its lead development partner with the task of leading the next phase of project development, business planning, and strategic fundraising to bring the Clyde’s naval legacy back to life.
“The Clyde’s shipbuilding heritage is a powerful symbol of Scottish innovation, craftsmanship, and industrial strength. We intend to harness that legacy to drive the regeneration of a region that has seen significant decline. Our immediate goal is to bring the former HMS Ambuscade (PNS Tariq) back from Pakistan to the Clyde, where she was built,” said O’Neill.
Apart from bringing back Ambuscade, CNH also plans to create the Clyde Historic Dockyard, a new maritime heritage destination combining cultural programming, community co-creation spaces, naval innovation showcases, and heritage skills hubs.
“Our vision is to create a dynamic, inclusive, and future-facing heritage destination anchored by the Ambuscade/Tariq and innovative multi-dimensional immersive access to the global maritime story,” said Sarah Dowd, Tricolor Founding Director.