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All but one of the Royal Navy's destroyer fleet was at home in Portsmouth for the Christmas holiday period. Pictured from left to right are Edinburgh, Dragon, Diamond, Dauntless and Daring. Only York was not present having been dispatched to shadow the Russian Northern Fleet Kuznetsov task group as it passed close to UK waters en route to the Mediterranean.

Nottingham, the last of three Type 42 destroyers recently bought for scrap left Portsmouth on 19 October. She will be towed to Aliaga, Turkey by the Maltese-flagged tug Spartan (1979/668gt).

The former HMS Southampton left Portsmouth for the last time on 14 October. The Type 42 destroyer was towed to a Spithead anchorage by harbour tugs for connection to the ocean-going tug Pantodynamos (1971/859gt). The tug is the same one that towed Glasgow to Aliaga in January 2009.

The third tow of an ex-Royal Navy warship in as many days saw Campbeltown being bought into Portsmouth on 25 September. The tug Vortex (2010/839gt) was the same Fawley-based vessel that delivered Chatham earlier in the week.

Going the other way on the same day as Chatham's arrival was the former HMS Exeter under the charge of the Dutch Antilles-flagged tug Compass (2008/451gt). The Type 42 destroyer is due to arrive at Aliaga, Turkey for scrapping on 10 October. She will be followed by Southampton and Nottingham during the next few weeks.

The former HMS Chatham arrived Portsmouth undertow the tug Vortex (2010/839gt) on 22 September. The decommissioned Type 22 frigate is due to be joined in lay-up by sister-ship Campbeltown on 25 September. The ship is in a forlorn state having been stripped of her radar absorbent material, weapons systems and radars.

HMS Dragon, the fourth of six Type 45 destroyers being built for the Royal Navy arrived at her homeport of Portsmouth for the first time on 31 August, where she was formally accepted off contract. Affiliated to the Welsh capital city of Cardiff, the ship was well known for two Welsh Dragons on her bow. They have now been removed.

Protector (2001/4,985gt) arrived at Portsmouth for the first time on 23 May, still under the Norwegian flag. The icebreaker will become HMS Protector when commissioned next month. She has been chartered for three years to carry out the Antarctic ice patrol duties of the stricken HMS Endurance, whose future has yet to be decided.

HMS Gloucester sailed into Portsmouth for the last time on 23 May. The Type 42 destroyer served the Royal Navy for 29 years and will be best remembered for her part in shooting down an Iraqi missile bound for the USS Missouri during the 1991 Gulf War. She will be decommissioned on 30 June.

Adonia (2001/30,277gt) arrived at Southampton for the first time on 20 May. The adults-only fleet replacement for Artemis (1984/44,348gt) will sail on her inaugural cruise for P&O Cruises on 22 May. The former R Eight, Minerva II and Royal Princess has capacity for just 710 passengers comfortably making her the smallest of P&O's seven ships.

The Royal Navy's First Patrol Boat Squadron (11 of the 14 anyway) got together at Portsmouth for three days of navigational and tactical training in the Solent from 13-15 April. Also known as University Royal Naval Units (URNU), the 20m patrol boats are manned by a small permanent crew and university undergraduates from various universities around the country.

The Type 82 destroyer HMS Bristol has returned to Portsmouth after a six month refit close to where she was built on the River Tyne. The most obvious change in her profile is the removal of her mainmast which is no longer needed in her static training role. Other upgrades included the replacement of decking and improvements to her fire detection and air conditioning systems. She also now has an office inside the funnel and a lecture theatre inside the old missile silo.

A sad sight indeed. Once proud Royal Navy fleet flagships at the end of their time. As work continued on stripping Ark Royal of reusable equipment she was joined by sister-ship Invincible as she was made ready for scrapping in Turkey. The tow to Aliaga is due to depart around 0800 on 24 March. The towing vessel is Scirocco (1976/978gt).

The Royal Navy's very own 'no-fly zone.' Little time has been lost in stripping the aircraft carrier, Ark Royal, of her weapons systems. Much of her main equipment was removed almost as soon as the decision to axe her was taken. Events in Libya have cruelly exposed the folly of the cuts to the fleet and it's ironic that the UK government continues to talk big yet has no means of backing up their intentions militarily.

After 20 maiden container ship callers at Southampton in 2010, the first new arrival this year was the CMA CGM Alaska (2011/158,000gt) on 25 February. The 12,552 TEU vessel is similar to the company's 'Explorer' class vessels, two of which called in on one-off visits last year. DP World Southampton has just taken delivery of two new super post-panamax gantry cranes able to work the increasing size of ships calling at the port.

The Type 42 destroyer HMS Manchester paid-off on 17 February. At 31 years old she is one of the oldest Royal Navy warships left and has clocked up nearly 860,000 miles. After long and valuable service she went out in the nicest possible way with a families day held in fine sunny weather, rounded off by a twin tug escort as she returned to Portsmouth for the last time. Manchester will be formally decommissioned on 24 February.

The MoD is inviting bids on its Disposal Services Agency auction website for the decommissioned Type 42 destroyers Exeter, Nottingham and Southampton. This follows the successful sale of the former HMS Invincible by the same method during January. The aircraft carrier is expected to be towed from Portsmouth for scrapping in Turkey by the end of March. Other RN warships to have been broken-up at Aliaga recently include Cardiff, Glasgow, Newcastle and Beaver.

P&O Ferries' latest acquisition, Spirit of Britain (2011/49,000gt), arrived at Dover on 9 January after a three-day voyage from Rauma, Finland. The €180 million ship will become the largest ferry to operate on the Dover Strait when she enters service on 21 January. A second ship, Spirit of France is scheduled for delivery in September. More details here.

An Arctic blast failed to prevent thousands of spectators bidding farewell to HMS Ark Royal at Portsmouth on 3 December. However, the foggy conditions did prevent a planned flypast by four GR9 Harriers. The aircraft carrier is to be decommisioned next year as part of recenty announced defence cuts. The 25-year old ship is likely to be scrapped along with her sister-ship Invincible which is now up for sale.

The Type 82 destroyer HMS Bristol has finally left Portsmouth undertow for maintenance work that will extend her life as a harbour training and accommodation ship for another ten years. After numerous delays waiting for the right towing conditions the Falklands War veteran left for Tyneside in the charge of the Dutch tug DMS World. The £4 million refit is expected to last six months.

Hardly a week goes by at Southampton without something new to see. From 28-30 October it was the turn of CMA CGM Magellan (2010/153,022gt), the 19th newly-built container ship to debut at the port this year. The British-flagged vessel shares the accolade of being the largest container vessel ever to use Southampton Container Port with sister-ship CMA CGM Christophe Colomb (2009/153,022gt) which visited in July.

HMS Walney arrived at Portsmouth flying a paying-off pendant on 21 October (Trafalgar Day). The Single Role Mine Hunter was sacrificed in a previous round of defence cuts to the highly controversial Strategic Defence and Security Review published this week. The mine warfare vessel was actually decommissioned at Faslane on 15 October. She will likely remain at Portsmouth until sold on cheaply to a foreign navy.

Queen Elizabeth (2010/92,400gt), the last cruise to be built for the British market for the forseeable future, departed Southampton on her maiden voyage on 12 October. She had 1,952 passengers onboard for a cruise that sold out in less than 30 minutes. Curiously, 1952 is the year that Queen Elizabeth came to the throne.

American-owned, Italian-built yet quaintly 'British', the latest Cunarder, Queen Elizabeth (2010/92,400gt) arrived at her homeport of Southampton for the first time on 8 October. The replacement for the highly regarded Queen Elizabeth 2 (1969/70,327gt) will be officially named by HM The Queen on 11 October prior to setting off on her maiden voyage the following day. Although similar to her Vista class sister ship Queen Victoria (2007/90,000gt) the new arrival is the second largest ship in Cunard history.

Stena Britannica (2010/62,000gt) made her debut at Harwich on 4 October. She is the second of two new superferries, costing £375 million, to take on the on the Harwich - Hook of Holland route. Stena Hollandica (2010/62,000gt) began in May. They are the largest passenger and freight ferries in the world able to carry up to 300 freight vehicles and 230 cars.

Pride of Bilbao (1986/37,799gt) left Portsmouth for the very last time on 30 September. Her destination was Falmouth for a short docking period after which she is likely to be laid-up until her future is decided. One rumour is she may return to the Baltic for a proposed route between Stockholm and St. Petersburg (other routes are available).

The former RFA Oakleaf (1981/49,377gt) departed a long lay-up at Portsmouth on 29 September undertow of the Maltese-flagged tug Mega One (1980/2,100dwt). The auxiliary tanker is due to arrive at Aliaga, Turkey for scrapping on 18 October.

After 17 years plying her twice-weekly route to northern Spain, Pride of Bilbao (1986/37,799gt) made a final entrance into Portsmouth on 28 September. Her demise marks the end too for a P&O Ferries presence at the south coast port dating back to 1987 when it took over Townsend Thoresen. Rival operator Brittany Ferries have announced they will provide a service to Bilbao from next spring using the newly-introduced Cap Finistère (2001/32,728gt).

HMS Diamond arrived at her homeport for the first time on 22 September. The third Type 45 destroyer to be completed was formally accepted off contract later the same day and the Blue Ensign swapped for the Royal Navy's White Ensign. Diamond will now undergo months of sea training and operational trials before commissioning in July 2011. Duncan, the last of the six ships is due to be launched in Glasgow on 11 October.

SD Victoria (2010/2,500gt) - The so-called 'Worldwide Support Ship' is the largest of the 29 new vessels ordered by Serco Marine Services from Damen. Built in Romania, the 83m training and support vessel will be used to support military training and exercises as part of Serco's contract with the UK Ministry of Defence.