Romanian Navy expands fleet with British-built warship

A newly acquired destroyer built in Britain has officially joined the Romanian Navy following its arrival in the port of Constanta, Romanian broadcaster Digi24 reported.

The vessel, now named M 271 “Captain Constantin Dumitrescu,” was formally accepted into service on November 7 during a ceremony attended by naval officials and defence representatives.

This is the second destroyer of the same class Romania has obtained from Britain under a 2023 contract. The deal involved the purchase of two ships built in 1991 and 1997, for a total of  €150 million.

Previously serving in the British Royal Navy under the name HMS Pembroke, the ship measures 53 meters in length and 10.5 meters in width. It set sail from a Scottish port on September 24 and arrived in Romania earlier this week.

The “Captain Constantin Dumitrescu” has a crew of 40 sailors and is notably commanded by a female officer, marking a significant milestone for the Romanian Navy.

By Tamilla Hasanova