Belgium Transfers First Minehunter to Bulgaria Under Seven-Ship Naval Expansion

Belgium has officially transferred the Tripartite-class minehunter BNS Bellis to the Bulgarian Navy, marking the first completed handover under a trilateral agreement covering seven mine countermeasure vessels from Belgium and the Netherlands.

The transfer ceremony took place on October 30, 2026, at the Belgian naval base in Zeebrugge, with the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirming the event on October 31.

The vessel has been renamed Briz following its transfer to Bulgarian ownership.

The handover marks a significant milestone in Bulgaria's efforts to expand its naval mine countermeasure capabilities as NATO members continue to address maritime security threats in the Black Sea.

First of Seven Minehunters Transferred to Bulgaria

BNS Bellis is the first of four Belgian minehunters scheduled for transfer to Bulgaria.

Under the wider trilateral arrangement, Belgium will provide four vessels while the Netherlands will transfer three additional ships, bringing the planned total to seven.

The agreement follows Bulgaria's earlier parliamentary approval of the acquisition package.

As AdriaDefense reported in August, the program is intended to expand Bulgaria's existing mine countermeasure fleet and strengthen its ability to detect and neutralize maritime mines.

The newly transferred vessel belongs to the Tripartite family, a class developed through European naval cooperation and operated by several NATO members.

Belgium and the Netherlands are gradually retiring their existing Tripartite vessels as they introduce next-generation mine countermeasure ships.

The Bulgarian program therefore extends the operational life of existing naval platforms rather than involving the construction of seven new warships.

Bulgaria Responsible for Maintenance and Operational Readiness

Belgium's Ministry of Defense confirmed that Bulgaria will finance the maintenance, recommissioning and operational deployment of the transferred vessels, supported by Belgian technical and industrial expertise.

This arrangement allows Bulgaria to acquire additional mine warfare platforms while drawing on established European naval systems and support capabilities.

However, the completion of the Bellis handover does not mean that the vessel has already entered operational service in the Black Sea.

Further preparations, crew readiness activities and any necessary technical work will determine when Briz becomes available for operational missions.

The authorities have not announced an updated timetable for the transfer of the remaining six ships.

Black Sea Mine Threat Drives Naval Expansion

The acquisition has become increasingly relevant as the war in Ukraine continues to generate maritime security risks across the Black Sea.

Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye have established a joint regional mine countermeasures initiative aimed at improving surveillance and responding to threats to navigation.

Floating mines and other explosive hazards can threaten commercial shipping, port access and critical maritime infrastructure, making mine countermeasure capabilities an important component of regional security.

The additional vessels are expected to strengthen Bulgaria's potential contribution to these activities as they become operational.

The agreement also provides for Bulgarian support in training Ukrainian naval crews operating ships of the same class.

For Belgium and the Netherlands, the transfer enables established naval equipment to remain in use within NATO while their own fleets transition toward newer mine warfare systems incorporating advanced sensors and unmanned technologies.

For Bulgaria, the next challenge will be integrating the incoming vessels into its naval force structure and maintaining sufficient technical capacity and trained crews to operate the larger fleet.

The October 30 handover represents the first completed transfer under the program, with further deliveries and operational integration still to follow.