Retired Royal Navy ship HMS Albion set for 'disposal' as HMS Bulwark sold to Brazil
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Both ships were retired having spent months not being at sea
A former Royal Navy flagship will be disposed of after not being at sea for months.
HMS Albion, one of two former Landing Platform Docks, faced an uncertain future after being retired alongside HMS Bulwark. While her sister ship was sold to Brazil - and ceremonially named NDM Oiapoque - HMS Albion was considered in too poor condition.
A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson said: “HMS Bulwark is to be sold to the Brazilian Navy, ending more than two decades of service with the Royal Navy, as UK focus turns to the future of amphibious assault ships. Her sister ship, HMS Albion, remains alongside at HMNB Devonport pending disposal.”
Both vessels will be replaced by new amphibious transport ships. Announced as part of the Defence Investment Plan (Dip), the Royal Marines will be bolstered by a combined fleet with the Netherlands. A £2.4bn maritime partnership was confirmed in July 2026.
These new ships will be built in UK shipyards who will be working alongside Dutch industry partners. At 160 metres in length and displacing 15,000 tonnes, they will be capable of transporting troops, vehicles and equipment, including drones, wherever they are needed.
The flight decks of the future UK-Dutch amphibious fleet are being designed to operate current and future long-range drones and autonomous systems, supporting the Royal Navy's transition to a hybrid Navy; conventional crewed warships will be supported by autonomous vessels.
Lord Vernon Coaker, Labour minister of state for defence in the House of Lords, said: “HMS Bulwark served this country and our allies with distinction for over two decades, and I'm pleased that she will continue her story in Brazilian service, with a nation that has long stood alongside us as a defence partner.
“This partnership with the Netherlands marks a real step forward for our Armed Forces, giving our personnel the modern, interoperable capability they need to operate alongside our allies for decades to come. It's also a vote of confidence in British shipbuilding, backing the skills and shipyards that will keep our industrial base strong and our nation secure."
Speaking in the House of Commons in November 2024, former defence secretary John Healey said both HMS Bulwark and Albion were “superficially kept on the books” at a cost of £9m a year. The move to retire both ships was criticised due to the shrinking Royal Navy fleet. These new amphibious transport ships are not expected until the 2030s.
It was previously confirmed that £2m a year was spent on HMS Albion while she was stuck alongside. The Ministry of Defence’s Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25 showed that the government body has made a constructive loss of £428m from selling the Landing Platform Docks. This was listed as a book value, how much an individual asset is worth when appearing in a balance sheet.
Reports in Brazil said HMS Bulwark was sold to the South American nation for R$145m, the equivalent of roughly £20m. This figure has never been confirmed or denied by the MoD. Minister of defence readiness and industry, Luke Pollard, previously said it would not be appropriate to discuss matters which are commercially sensitive.