The Royal Navy’s HMS Richmond has made its last outbound departure in Plymouth Sound early this morning, marking the end of a great story with the city of Plymouth and the nation.
The ghost ship had contractors onboard with Serco Group teams towing the vessel out of the Sound and Portsmouth the likely destination where the ship will eventually be scrapped.
A Type 23 frigate that was launched on the 6th of April 1993 and was retired from service this year.
HMS Richmond made its last homecoming to Devonport on 30 November 2025, to a spectacular fanfare of gunfire that echoed across the Hoe foreshore.
The Richmond came home a day early because of poor weather conditions in the Channel and was met by loved ones and families at Devonport Naval Base with banners and flags.
HMS Richmond returned home after a 7-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region, where it was protecting a British Carrier Strike Group with international partners, including the Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec, that left with HMS Richmond from Plymouth, dated the 22nd of April 2025.
Built by Swan Hunter Shipbuilders, HMS Richmond served in British and NATO operations across the globe; it was the first Royal Navy vessel to visit the Russian port of Vladivostok in over 100 years—unthinkable to imagine now in the present political situation.
Due to structural damage and deemed uneconomic to repair, the ship was decommissioned.
A sad and poignant farewell from local ship watchers, and especially the mini team at Westward Shipping News for the ship’s incredible service, crews that served, and its amazing achievements.
