Bulgaria to acquire seven minehunter ships from Belgium and Netherlands

Bulgaria has approved the purchase of seven minehunter ships from Belgium and the Netherlands to bolster maritime security in the Black Sea. The acquisition is split into two agreements: three ships will be acquired directly from the Netherlands, while an additional four vessels will be transferred through a joint agreement involving both Belgium and the Netherlands.

The Netherlands has committed to restoring the technical capabilities and increasing the operational capacity of three of the ships. Bulgaria will fund the necessary repairs and restoration work to ensure all seven vessels meet NATO operational readiness standards.

This move aligns with a broader NATO strategy to secure shipping routes and protect critical underwater infrastructure. It follows a July agreement at a NATO summit where Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey pledged to expand a joint de-mining task force. This task force was originally established in 2024 to address the threat of floating naval mines resulting from the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.