MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Monday, June 1st 2026 - 05:17 UTC
The units in question correspond to the first generation of the Royal Navy's River class —HMS Tyne, HMS Mersey, and HMS Severn—, built between 2001 and 2003
The Uruguayan government will this week present a formal offer to the United Kingdom's embassy for the acquisition of three used offshore patrol vessels belonging to the British Royal Navy, for an approximate amount of 60 million euros, as announced by the Deputy Secretary of the Presidency, Jorge Díaz. The operation, structured as a direct state-to-state purchase, fits within the administration of President Yamandú Orsi's search to replace the contract terminated with the Spanish shipyard Cardama, in parallel with the hardening of accusations from the Uruguayan executive against the Vigo-based company over the use of public funds transferred.
“This week we have to present the note at the United Kingdom's embassy expressing our interest in acquiring them,” Díaz said in an interview with the Uruguayan channel Teledoce. The Deputy Secretary specified that each of the patrol vessels has a value of 20 million euros and a remaining useful life of between 20 and 25 years. The units in question correspond to the first generation of the Royal Navy's River class —HMS Tyne, HMS Mersey, and HMS Severn—, built between 2001 and 2003 and scheduled for decommissioning as part of the British fleet renewal. Díaz indicated that the acquisition of the used vessels represents “the possibility of having OPVs quickly,” although the government continues exploring options to also incorporate new units. The Deputy Secretary implicitly ruled out the Spanish state shipyard Navantia and confirmed that the incorporation of new units will be carried out through bilateral negotiation between states.
