After nearly three decades of service in the Royal Navy, HMS Monmouth, the iconic Type 23 frigate, is set to sail into the sunset for the final time, this time bound for recycling in Turkey.
With a distinguished career that spanned across the world, from hunting Cold War submarines to providing humanitarian aid in Sierra Leone, HMS Monmouth has been an integral part of the fleet. However, after 28 years, the vessel has outlived her useful service life and has now been sold for recycling. The sale, managed by the Defence, Equipment and Support (DE&S) exports and sales team, was the result of extensive assessments showing that the frigate’s maintenance costs had skyrocketed, making her uneconomical to repair.
The sale, which focuses on sustainability, was open exclusively to recycling facilities in Europe. After careful evaluation, Leyal Gemi Sokum Sanayi Ve Ticaret Ltd Sti, a Turkish ship recycling company, was awarded the contract.
Richard Whalley, head of DE&S’s exports and sales team, who served as a lieutenant on HMS Monmouth during her first commission, described the decision as a bittersweet moment:
“It’s always a sad day when you see a ship that was a significant part of your life heading for disposal. But I’m pleased that HMS Monmouth will be recycled in an ethical and responsible way, recovering valuable metals and assets, while providing a financial return for the Royal Navy.”
HMS Monmouth was commissioned in 1993, initially built as a submarine hunter during the Cold War. The vessel was famously nicknamed the “Black Duke” and gained a reputation for her global deployments, which included humanitarian missions during the Sierra Leone Civil War, anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, and even a global circumnavigation.
Her final major deployment came in 2018 when she accompanied the HMS Queen Elizabeth on her journey to the United States. However, by 30 June 2021, HMS Monmouth was taken out of active service and stripped of her weapons and sensors.
She left Portsmouth Harbour for the last time on 3 April 2025, being towed towards her final destination in Turkey, marking the end of an era for the ship and the sailors who served aboard her.
