A WARSHIP poised to play a key role in the military build-up in the Gulf against Iraq is currently in Southampton.

The amphibious assault ship HMS Ocean is at Marchwood Military Port taking on fuel and supplies.

She is one of the warships earmarked by the Ministry of Defence for possible deployment to the Gulf in order to pressurise Saddam Hussein into complying with a UN resolution aimed at preventing him holding weapons of mass destruction.

HMS Ocean, which was sent to the Gulf in the spring as part of the war against terrorism, is one of the most modern means of launching aircraft and Royal Marines into a war zone.

She has just had a four-month refit and is expected return to her home port of Devonport, Plymouth, before taking part in sea trials in the new year.

Yesterday Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon spoke in the House of Commons of Britain's preparations to place a "credible force" in the Gulf.

He told how a fleet comprising carrier HMS Ark Royal, destroyer HMS Liverpool, frigate HMS Marlborough, a nuclear submarine and support vessels is set to deploy to the gulf region in the new year.

Mr Hoon said they were considering sending a second fleet.

"What we are doing is ensuring we have a range of military options available," he said.

"And we are considering an additional maritime force to ensure readiness of a broad range of maritime capability."

Asked if HMS Ocean was part of the second fleet Mr Hoon had referred to, a Royal Navy spokesman later said: "She could well be."

As Britain's armed forces continue to make preparations for possible military action against Saddam, Marchwood Mili-tary Port will come increasingly under the spotlight. This week the Ministry of Defence announced it is chartering civilian-owned vessels for the transportation of weapons and personnel to the Gulf.

With Britain expected to contribute thousands of ground troops to the area, Marchwood will be one of the most likely places from which dozens of Challenger II battle tanks and Warrior armoured personnel carriers will leave the country.

An MoD spokesman said that RAF supplies, destined for a Cyprus airbase, were the only current cargo passing through the port.

It is thought the service will also be using bases in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in coming months, from where its Tornado and Jaguar fighters can reach Iraq.

Although the government is not due to officially respond to the Iraqi weapons declaration until after Christmas, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said yesterday: "Saddam Hussein's claims to have abandoned the development of weapons of mass destruction are an obvious falsehood."

British sources said 360 tonnes of weapons material was among items unaccounted for by the Iraqi dossier of its weapons.

They included 1.5 tonnes of the deadly VX nerve agent Saddam was previously known to have possessed.