According to various media sources, two ex-Dutch Tripartite-class minehunters have recently been delivered to Bulgaria. A series of images showing ex-Dutch vessels crossing the Bosporus Strait onboard a Super Servant 4 cargo vessel, was published on Social Media.
A picture published on Twitter apparently shows two ex-Dutch Tripartite-class minehunters transferring the Bosporus Strait onboard a Super Servant 4 cargo vessel / Photo by: @YorukIsik, Twitter
According to the Marine Traffic system, the Super Servant 4 cargo ship has already reached Bulgarian territorial waters and is moored near Varna.
The Dutch news portal Marineschepen.nl informed that two ex-Dutch Tripartite-class minehunters transferred to Bulgaria were: ex-HNLMS Maassluis (M 856) and ex-HNLMS Hellevoetsluis (M 859), decommissioned in 2011. For the past several years the Dutch government made efforts to sell them on foreign markets.
Four Tripartite-class minehunters, including the Haarlem (M 853), were decommissioned from service in the Dutch Navy. Since that time the Dutch Government has made efforts to sell these vessels of export markets / Photo by: Dutch MoD
Decision to procure two ex-Dutch Tripartite-class minehunters was approved by Bulgarian authorities in late 2019. After entering service these vessels will supplement the currently operated, Tsibar (ex-Belgian Myosotis) Tripartite-class minehunter.
