With one long blast from the horn, the RRS Sir David Attenborough slipped from its mooring, and sailed past Shotley to start her maiden voyage to Antartica.

With 66 crew and scientific personnel on board, Britain's newest polar research ship moved swiftly but serenely, out of the Stour estuary on a calm sea, with no fanfare.

Sir David Attenborough will fuel up in Portsmouth before heading to the Port Stanley at the Falkland island, which will take about three weeks. From there she will carry on its voyage to Antarctica, complete with Boaty McBoatface, one of the ships' submersibles.

During its first mission 'south' the state-of-the-art research vessel will transfer station teams, food, cargo and fuel to British Antarctic Survey's five research stations. Robotic instruments that drift with the Southern Ocean currents (Argo floats) will be deployed as part of an international oceanography programme.

The ship will also transport essential science equipment to support the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration, a collaboration between UK and US scientists to investigate one of the most unstable glaciers in Antarctica.

Last month visitors to London had a rare opportunity to see the ship ahead of its maiden voyage, during a three-day pre-COP26 event in Greenwich in partnership with the National Maritime Museum.

Will Whatley, Captain of the RRS Sir David Attenborough, said: "This is such a proud moment for the crew of RRS Sir David Attenborough.

"The maiden voyage is the moment we've all been waiting for and to finally be sailing the ship to Antarctica is an incredible feeling."

Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of British Antarctic Survey, said: "We are so excited to be waving off the RRS Sir David Attenborough on its first Antarctic mission.

"This historic moment marks the next chapter of ship-borne research for British Antarctic Survey.

"I was there when the first piece of steel was laid, so to watch the ship sail away to Antarctica for the first time is an incredibly poignant and emotional moment for me, and for all those who have been involved in the ship's story so far.

"Following COP26 in Glasgow, the world is more aware than ever of the urgent need to understand our changing world, and the RRS Sir David Attenborough has a vital role to play in that."

The ship will also fly a rainbow flag in celebration of Polar Pride Day (18 November), an initiative launched by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office in 2020 to celebrate the contribution of LGBTQ+ people to polar research in the British Antarctic Territory and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

The new polar ship was commissioned by UKRI-NERC and built by Cammell Laird for operation by British Antarctic Survey.

This new research platform will transform how ship-borne science is conducted in the Polar Regions.

It is part of a major Government polar infrastructure investment programme designed to keep Britain at the forefront of world-leading research in Antarctica and the Arctic.

The RRS Sir David Attenborough will return to the UK in June 2022 at the end of the Antarctic season.

Watch our live coverage of Sir David Attenborough leaving from Shotley this morning.

Meet the crew and see inside Sir David Attenborough.

British Antarctic Survey website here.