After Romania, Bulgaria is now also receiving mine defence boats. Three Dutch and four Belgian ships will be handed over to the Bulgarian Navy together with a simulator and spare parts.

The tripartite-class boats (605 tonnes) were designed and built as a joint development by Belgium, France and the Netherlands and are to be handed over to the south-eastern European country by 2028. The Dutch State Secretary for Defence described the delivery as "an important contribution to security in the Black Sea". He emphasised that, in view of the current worrying developments on NATO's eastern flank, it was in the interests of Bulgaria, the Netherlands and their allies that the ships are put into service there.

Bulgaria already operates two Dutch minesweepers of the same type (Alkmaar class) and has the necessary expertise. The handover is without financial compensation, but is linked to the condition that Bulgaria takes over the further training and support of the Ukrainian crews, as Ukraine will also receive this type of minesweeper.

The timetable for the handover to Bulgaria is coordinated with the arrival of the new mine defence boats. The two NATO countries will each put six new mine countermeasure units (2,900 tonnes) into service in the coming years. In the Netherlands as the Vlissingen class, in Belgium as the City class. The first ship for Belgium is nearing completion and is expected to be delivered in October. The first ship for the Dutch navy is scheduled to enter service this year.

kdk, SWZ-Maritime