Ex-RFA vessels sold off to be kept seaworthy as Royal Navy continues to offload ships
Two Royal Fleet Auxiliary tankers have been sold to a private company as the Royal Navy continues to sell off its vessels.
Inocea Group, a British marine, defence and industrial group, has bought RFA Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler.
The Wave-class vessels have sustained British and allied naval forces in all major theatres worldwide for the last two decades.
This latest sale of prime military hardware comes after a former Royal Navy minehunter, Sandown-class HMS Pembroke, was commissioned into the Romanian navy after being sold by the maritime service in September 2023, alongside her sister ship.
"Wave Knight and Wave Ruler are exceptional ships. They have a long life ahead of them supporting critical naval missions worldwide," Alex Vicefield, Inocea Group's co-owner, said.
"Their availability is fortuitous, and Inocea will leverage its proven capability to address the growing global strain on naval manpower and force structures.
"Our goal is simple: ensure these exceptional ships can, for decades to come, support allied fleets, extend operational reach, and strengthen allied maritime readiness."
Alongside the sale of these two RFA tankers, the Brazilian navy reportedly signed a contract to buy HMS Bulwark, the Albion-class vessel, at Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2025, according to Naval News.
Wave Knight and Wave Ruler help transport food, fuel, water, and critical supplies to Royal Navy and coalition warships.
They provide aid to amphibious forces, anti-surface and anti-submarine operations.
The ships will be reactivated to full operational readiness under class and flag-state requirements and operated by Inocea companies to support allied navies.
Back in early 2022, RFA Wave Knight completed an eight-month mission around the Americas.
In a diverse deployment, the vessel transported aid to the people of St Vincent in Haiti in June 2021 following a volcanic eruption, and then subsequently supported the international relief effort in the country after the earthquake later in the summer.
She aided scientists as they studied the impact of the volcanic eruption and changed some of the seismic monitors watching over the La Soufriere volcano.
"With this acquisition, Inocea continues its focus on providing strategically important naval capability through unique service models, ensuring these much-needed assets remain active contributors to allied security," James Davies, Inocea Group's co-owner, added.
The Wave-class vessels are being replaced by the bigger Tide-class replenishment ships.
Inocea specialises in the design, construction, ownership and operation of complex, high-value maritime assets.
The company runs five major shipyard facilities across the United States, Finland and Canada.
RFA Wave Ruler
RFA Wave Ruler, which played a vital role in protecting shipping routes, combating piracy, and providing humanitarian assistance, was last seen on Exercise Saxon Warrior in 2017.
She carried out a replenishment-at-sea with HNoMS Otto Sverdrup, a frigate, as the ship completed drills, including force protection exercises against small attack craft, off the coast of Scotland.
In the same year, she offered assistance to a stricken yacht as it sailed from Plymouth to Portland, Dorset.
Engineers later boarded the yacht, named Frangi, and discovered that she had an electrical defect.
The problem was subsequently fixed, and the yacht sailed onwards.
RFA Wave Knight
The vessel, which weighs roughly 31,500 tonnes and can reach speeds of up to 18 knots, demonstrated her prowess when she managed several drug busts four years ago.
She worked with a ship from the Netherlands, HLMS Holland, to seize cocaine numerous times in the Caribbean to prevent the white powder from making its way onto the streets of America.
In one, she captured a dodgy ship while the vessel sailed across the Caribbean.
The suspect ship was later busted, and the personnel found eight bales of drugs.
When the narcotics were collated, there was 216kg of Class A, cocaine, worth more than £17m.
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