HMS Berkeley (M40)

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title: "HMS Berkeley (M40)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["hunt-class-mine-countermeasures-vessels", "1986-ships", "hunt-class-mine-countermeasures-vessels-of-the-hellenic-navy", "maritime-incidents-in-2020", "ships-built-in-southampton", "shipwrecks-in-the-aegean-sea"] description: "British, later Greek, naval vessel" topic_path: "history/military" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Berkeley_(M40)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary British, later Greek, naval vessel ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox ship"]

Field	Value
section1	{{Infobox ship/image
section2	{{Infobox ship/career
country	United Kingdom
flag
name	HMS Berkeley
namesake	Berkeley Hunt
builder	Vosper Thornycroft
yard_number	4256
launched	3 December 1986
acquired	20 November 1987
commissioned	14 January 1988
decommissioned	28 February 2001
identification	Pennant number: M40
fate	Sold to Greece
section3	{{Infobox ship/career
hide_header	title
country	Greece
flag
name	Kallisto ()
namesake	Kallisto
commissioned	28 February 2001
out_of_service	27 October 2020
identification	Pennant number: M63
status	Wreck
section4	{{Infobox ship/characteristics
class
displacement	750 t
length	60 m
beam	9.8 m
draught	2.2 m
propulsion	2 shaft Napier Deltic diesel engines, 3,540 shp
speed	17 kn
complement	45 (6 officers & 39 ratings)
sensors	Sonar Type 2193
armament	1 × 40 mm gun Mark 9, replaced by 1 × 30 mm MSI DS-30B gun
notes	*Mine counter measures equipment:
::

|section1={{Infobox ship/image | image = | image_caption =

|section2={{Infobox ship/career | hide_header = | country = United Kingdom | flag = | name = HMS Berkeley | namesake =Berkeley Hunt | ordered = | awarded = | builder = Vosper Thornycroft | yard_number = 4256 | laid_down = | launched = 3 December 1986 | sponsor = | christened = | completed = | acquired = 20 November 1987 | commissioned = 14 January 1988 | recommissioned = | decommissioned = 28 February 2001 | in_service = | out_of_service = | renamed = | reclassified = | refit = | struck = | reinstated = | homeport = | motto = | nickname = | honours = | captured = | identification = Pennant number: M40 | fate = Sold to Greece | status = | notes = | badge =

|section3={{Infobox ship/career | hide_header = title | country = Greece | flag = | name = Kallisto () | namesake = Kallisto | ordered = | awarded = | builder = | yard_number = | laid_down = | launched = | sponsor = | christened = | completed = | acquired = | commissioned = 28 February 2001 | recommissioned = | decommissioned = | in_service = | out_of_service = 27 October 2020 | renamed = | reclassified = | refit = | struck = | reinstated = | homeport = | motto = | nickname = | honours = | captured = | identification = Pennant number: M63 | fate = | status = Wreck | notes = | badge =

|section4={{Infobox ship/characteristics | hide_header = | header_caption = | class = | tonnage = | displacement = 750 t | length = 60 m | beam = 9.8 m | height = | draught = 2.2 m | propulsion = 2 shaft Napier Deltic diesel engines, 3,540 shp | speed = 17 kn | range = | endurance = | test_depth = | boats = | capacity = | complement = 45 (6 officers & 39 ratings) | crew = | time_to_activate = | troops = | sensors = Sonar Type 2193 | EW = | armament = 1 × 40 mm gun Mark 9, replaced by 1 × 30 mm MSI DS-30B gun | armour = | aircraft = | aircraft_facilities = | notes = *Mine counter measures equipment:

• 2 × PAP remotely controlled submarines (ROV)
• MS 14 magnetic loop
• Sperry MSSA acoustic generator
• K8 Oropesa sweeps

HMS Berkeley was a of the British Royal Navy. She was sold to the Hellenic Navy in 2001 and was commissioned as HS Kallisto. On 27 October 2020, she was cut in two in a collision with a container ship.

Description

The Hunt class was designed as being capable of both conventional minesweeping and minehunting, and following on from the success of the experimental glass-reinforced plastic (GRP)-hulled minesweeper/minehunter , were also built from GRP in order to reduce their magnetic signature, being the largest GRP-hulled ships built at the time of construction.

The Hunts were 60.0 m long overall and 57.0 m at the waterline, with a beam of 9.8 m and a draught of 2.2 m. Displacement was 625 LT normal and 725 LT full load. As built, they were powered by two Ruston-Paxman Deltic 9-59K diesel engines rated at 1900 bhp each, which drove two propeller shafts, giving a speed of 17 kn. An additional 645 bhp Deltic diesel engine could be used to either drive a 525 kW alternator powering a magnetic sweep, or a slow-speed hydraulic drive for the propellers for use during minehunting, which could give a speed of 8 kn or a bow thruster. In addition, the ships were fitted with three Foden 250 kW diesel alternators to generate electrical power for ship's systems.

The original design armament for the ships was a single 40 mm gun, which was later replaced by a 30 mm Oerlikon KCB cannon on a stabilised DS30 mount, with Berkeley being fitted with the DS30 by 1990. Two 20 mm Oerlikon cannon could also be fitted. For minehunting, the ships would use Type 193M sonar to locate potential mines, which could then be investigated and if necessary destroyed by two PAP-104 remotely controlled submersibles or divers. The ship also carried magnetic, acoustic or Oropesa sweeps. The ship had a crew of 45 (6 officers and 39 other ranks).

History

She was the twelfth of the thirteen Hunt-class vessels, and was built as Yard No.4256 by Vosper Thorneycroft shipbuilders at Woolston, Southampton. The ship was ordered on 4 June 1985 and was laid down on 9 September 1985, and was launched on 3 December 1986 by Lady Gerken, the wife of Vice Admiral Sir Robert Gerken, former Flag Officer Plymouth.

Berkeley was commissioned on 14 January 1988, and after sea trials, was assigned to the 1st Mine Countermeasures Squadron based at Rosyth, Scotland. In 1990, she was part of the 3rd Mine Countermeasures Squadron. She took part in mine clearance operations in the Persian Gulf following the 1st Gulf War and later was involved in fishery protection duties in UK waters.

She was sold to the Hellenic Navy, then handed over and commissioned as Kallisto, after the mythological nymph of that name, on 28 February 2001.

On 27 October 2020, after sailing from Salamis Naval Base, HS Kallisto was severely damaged in a collision in the Saronic Gulf with the Portuguese-flagged container ship , which had just departed from the port of Piraeus. Kallisto was cut in two, with two of her 27 crew injured, and the stern section sank. Her bow section developed a severe list and was taken in tow for the naval base.

Citations

References

References

1. (11 July 2011). "Hunt Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels - Specifications". [[GlobalSecurity.org]].
2. {{harvnb. Gardiner. Chumbley. 1995
3. {{harvnb. Prézelin. Baker. 1990
4. (1988). "HMS Berkeley: Hunt Class Mine Counter Measures Vessel". Directorate of Public Relations (Royal Navy).
5. {{csr
6. (2001). "The Handover Ceremony of HMS ''Berkeley'' to the Hellenic Navy as HS ''Kallisto''". Defence Export Services Organisation & Greek Navy.
7. (July 2000). "Jane's International Defense Review: IDR". [[Jane's Information Group]].
8. Tsiliopoulos, E.. "Huge merchant ship cuts minesweeper "Kallisto" in two". New Greek TV.
9. (29 October 2020). "Ship captain arrested after collision with Greek warship". ekathimerini-com.
10. (29 October 2020). "Captain of cargo ship involved in collision given until Nov. 11 to testify". ekathimerini-com.

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