Why more retired warships do not become museums

Why are more recently retired naval ships not preserved as museum ships?

Mostly because preservation is expensive, while uncertain visitor demand and residual sensitive information create additional obstacles.

Governments often say that too few visitors would support another museum ship, but the underlying obstacle is the continuing cost of berthing, maintenance, corrosion control, staffing, and repair. A recently retired vessel can also reveal protected information through its layout and through the conspicuous absence of removed equipment. Declassification is therefore not as simple as taking classified boxes ashore. The watch point explains why historical importance alone rarely secures preservation. A viable museum needs durable funding and a safe plan for what the hull still discloses.