'Lack of sailors' forces Royal Navy to decommission warships
5 January 2024, 12:53
Reports say the Royal Navy is decommissioning two warships this year and relocating staff, as the service is considering joining efforts to stop rebels from attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea.
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With the arrival of a new fleet of frigate warships, the Royal Navy is reallocating crew away from other ships, pushing them into decommission.
One of the ships which is being decommissioned is the newly refurbished HMS Westminster, reports the Telegraph.
Refurbishment efforts began in 2022, at an expensive cost to the taxpayer.
Defence Procurement Minister James Cartlidge said in 2023 the estimated cost of the refit was £100million.
A Whitehall source told the Telegraph: "It is always emotive when ships with long histories come to the end of their working lives. But decommissioning is the right decision.
"The new Type 26 frigates will be in service before those ships can be refitted."
This comes after reports claim the UK government is considering sending ships to the Red Sea.
Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have been attacking cargo ships which have been travelling through the area.
The shipping route through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea is a key maritime trade route.
Logistics company Maersk has suspended shipping through the route "until further notice" after one of its vessels was attacked.
The UK government has joined calls from several countries for the "immediate end" to the rebel attacks.
An official spokesman for the Prime Minister said: "Planning is underway for a range of scenarios. No decisions have been made.
"We will continue to pursue all potential routes, including diplomatic routes."
Last year it was reported the Royal Navy is seeing more and more sailors quitting the service, as recruitment is not measuring up to demand.
A source told Sky News, "An exceptional recruitment service has been driven to the wall. They need to get a grip of it really quickly." They added: "It's a mess."
Read more: US Navy destroys Houthi boats in Red Sea after attempted hijack
A Royal Navy spokesperson said in response to the allegations about recruitment: "The Royal Navy has enough trained personnel to meet all of its operational commitments, and it is untrue to say there is a collapse in recruitment.
"We are experiencing the same challenges as every employer in the UK and are competing for people against a national shortage.
"Recruitment is one of our top priorities, and we are working across the navy to continue to deliver success: including the recent launch of our new Royal Marines recruitment campaign."
