UK MoD soliciting buyers for two former RFA ships

UK’s defense ministry is inviting interested buyers to provide expressions of interest for the purchase of former Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships RFA Gold Rover and RFA Black Rover.

The buyer of the final two ships of the Rover-class will not be able to use the ships for any purposes other than scrapping, however.

The ministry’s Disposal Services Authority (DSA) further added that only companies able to “demonstrate their capability and compliance” would be able to buy the ships. Appropriate facilities within EU or OECD countries are also among the prerequisites.

The vessels are currently moored at HM Naval Base Portsmouth and will be offered for sale from there. Viewing of the vessels will take place in late 2017.

Gold Rover was officially decommissioned in March this year, after over 40 years of service. Black Rover effectively left service in 2015.

Gold and Black Rovers are sharing the fate of previously scrapped RFA Grey Rover while Blue Rover continues to serve the Portuguese Navy, and the oldest, Green Rover, still flies the Indonesian flag as KRI Arun.