UK MOD issues notice on potential sale of ex-Royal Navy minehunter

The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), through the Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA), is inviting expressions of interest for the sale of the decommissioned Royal Navy Sandown-class minehunter HMS Walney for recycling only.

The vessel is moored at HM Naval Base Portsmouth and will be sold from there. More information can be found within the General Sales Particulars.

Expressions of interest will only be accepted from companies that have appropriate facilities within UK or, are included within the current European List of ship recycling facilities.

All parties interested in purchasing the vessel for recycling will need to complete and submit a compliance declaration form to the DESA (via [email protected] and [email protected]) no later than 17:00 GMT on April 29, 2021.

The MOD clarified that it will not pay for the recycling of the vessel. The issue of the notice is not a commitment by the Secretary of State for Defence to commit to a sale as a result of this notice and this process may be discontinued at any time should a government to government (G2G) sale option be forthcoming.

Walney was operated by the Royal Navy from 1993 to 2010. It has been laid up in Portsmouth since its decommissioning.