Why operating station changes how quickly ships age

Do ships age at the same rate wherever they are stationed and operated?

No; local operating conditions matter, and the South Atlantic is singled out as especially hard on ships.

Ships do not age at the same rate wherever they serve. Different operating areas impose different levels of wear, with the South Atlantic singled out as especially punishing. Operating environment therefore belongs in any comparison of ship condition and useful life. Fleet readiness depends on where a hull has worked as well as when it was commissioned.