UK: Four Decommissioned Type 22 Frigates of Royal Navy Up for Grabs

January 14, 2013

The Disposal Services Authority (DSA) of the British Ministry of Defence is inviting offers for the sale of four decommissioned Type 22 frigates of the Royal Navy.

The bidding process for HMS Chatham, HMS Campbeltown, HMS Cumberland and HMS Cornwall, will be open until January 23 with viewings scheduled for February and March.

DSA is receiving offers for further use of the ships followed by those for their scrapping and recycling and it is its intention to award at least one vessel to a UK ship recycler. This is in part to secure detailed knowledge of the UK’s capacity to recycle vessels. In addition, bids for sinking the vessels in order to convert them into artificial reefs are also welcome.

As explained by Mike Hancock, Liberal Democrat MP for Portsmouth South, it is highly unlikely that the ships could be saved from the scrap yard, BBC writes.

“I think the navy would be super optimistic to believe they could bring them into commission again.

“I think the reef idea could work, the scrap value of these ships is not enormous, it might be someone is interested in putting them down,” Mr. Hancock added.

What once used to be powerful surface combatant with substantial anti-surface, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft weapons systems are moored at Portsmouth and will be sold from there.

Vessels’ particulars:

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Naval Today Staff, January 14, 2013