The UK’s last Royal Mail ship was scheduled to return to the country this week under its original name.

The 6,767-gt passenger/cargoship St Helena (built 1989) was sold to a marine security company, MNG Maritime, after it carried the last mail and passengers to its namesake island deep in the South Atlantic Ocean in February.

Renamed MNG Tahiti and sent to the Middle East, it was to become a floating armoury and barracks for armed security guards protecting ships in the region.