Deteriorating HMS Northumberland with 'structural damage' to leave Portsmouth for the final time - when, times
.jpg?width=96&crop=1:1,smart)
The Type 23 frigate is among several vessels of her class to be retired and moved on
A former Royal Navy frigate in a deteriorating condition will be towed out of Portsmouth for the final time.
HMS Northumberland is scheduled to leave HMNB Portsmouth tomorrow afternoon (September 9). According to the King’s Harbour Master shipping movements, the retired Type 23 warship can be seen leaving the Fountain Lake Jetty at 3.45pm - passing The Round Tower in Old Portsmouth.
Being towed by Protug87, Bountiful, and Independent, she will be brought to the NAB Tower and beyond. After spending a lengthy period of time at Fareham Creek and near HMNB Portsmouth, she was taken out of Lock C and prepared to leave.
It’s highly expected that the former Duke-class frigate will be scrapped due to her being cannibalised for parts and general condition. This has yet to be confirmed by the Royal Navy.
When approached last summer, a force spokesperson said no decision had been made. The Royal Navy have again been approached for further details.
An announcement was made in November 2024 that HMS Northumberland would be decommissioned, alongside both Landing Platform Docks - HMS Bulwark and Albion - as well as other capabilities.
Former defence secretary John Healey, Labour, previously said the warship had “structural damage” which made her “uneconomical to repair”. Lieutenant General Sir Robert Magowan KCB CBE echoed the politician’s thoughts during a defence select committee meeting in December 2024.
He previously said: “In terms of the six retirements, the secretary of state outlined to the house the implications of that. Three of those involved vessels that were no longer seaworthy, so we were spending money against capabilities that were never going to be used operationally. There was a pretty strong case with regards to those three classes of ship.”
Several decommissioned ships have been brought out of Portsmouth in recent months. HMS Westminster was brought out of the naval base on July 24, and will “undergo disposal at an appropriately authorised recycling facility”.
Fellow Type 23 warship, HMS Montrose, was towed out of HMNB Portsmouth on July 15. She was awarded to the Turkish firm Leyal Ship Recycling (Leyal Gemi Sokum) for dismantling. The frigate will be recycled at the company’s facility in Aliaga.