HMS Ocean to be sold to Brazil
The Royal Navy’s HMS Ocean will be sold to the government of Brazil when the vessel is retired from service in March 2018, the Ministry of Defence announced on 19 February.
The vessel is being sold to Brazil for £84 million under a programme to be managed by the Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA), which is part of the Ministry of Defence’s procurement organisation.
HMS Ocean entered service in 1998 and has supported operations around the globe, from Operation Palliser during the Sierra Leone conflict to Operation Ellamy as part of an international coalition in Libya in 2011. Over the course of its service life the vessel has covered more than 450,000 nautical miles.
Clive Walker, head of DESA, said: ‘We have a proven track record of supplying surplus defence equipment on a government to government basis. The successful sale of HMS Ocean to the Brazilian Navy will provide a financial return to the UK which will now be reinvested in defence.
The Brazilian Navy will take possession of the ship in June 2018. Modifications to the ship will be made by Babcock and BAE Systems ahead of delivery, with this work funded by Brazil.
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