Romanian Navy commissions second ex-Royal Navy Sandown-class minehunter

The Romanian Navy commissioned its second ex-RN Sandown-class minehunter, Căpitan Constantin Dumitrescu (ex-HS Pembroke ), into service on 4 August. (UK RN/Crown Copyright)

The Romanian Navy has commissioned a second former Royal Navy (RN) Sandown-class minehunter into service, the RN has confirmed.

The Romanian flag was hoisted for the first time on Căpitan Constantin Dumitrescu (ex-HMS Pembroke ) during a ceremony held at Babcock's shipyard in Rosyth, Scotland, on 4 August.

Ex - HMS Pembroke is one of two former Sandown-class minehunters sold to Romania on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) by the Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA) in 2023. Sister ship ex-HMS Blyth was commissioned into the Romanian Navy as Sublocotenent Ion Ghiculescu in September 2023.

Romania's newly acquired mine-countermeasures (MCM) vessels will be used to help clear the Black Sea of mines laid during the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Ahead of their transfers, both vessels were refurbished by Babcock, in collaboration with the MoD's Defence Equipment & Support organisation, at its facilities in Rosyth.

Of an original class of 12, HMS Bangor is the sole remaining Sandown-class minehunter in RN service as it works to progressively decommission the class by the end of 2025.

The Sandown-class minehunters have a standard displacement of 480 tonnes, an overall length of 52.5 m, a top speed of 13 kt, and a range of 2,500 n mile at 12 kt. They can carry a crew of 39, with spare berths for six additional personnel.

For more information, please seeRFA Stirling Castle transferred to Royal Navy .