Why HMS Belfast was an unlikely Norwegian Type 26 transfer

Could a British Type 26 hull, especially HMS Belfast, be transferred to Norway?

A transfer was considered unlikely because Belfast was already well advanced and Britain needed the first batch to replace ageing Type 23s, while extra Norwegian hulls could use later yard capacity.

Belfast was already under construction and belonged to the first Type 26 batch needed to replace ageing Royal Navy Type 23s. Diverting an early ship would worsen Britain's own escort shortage. Glasgow, Cardiff, and Belfast were also closely fitted to British task-group anti-submarine requirements, making them less suited to the Norwegian requirement described here. A transfer is treated as unlikely, though a categorical refusal is challenged. Spare yard capacity and later construction slots offer another route: an illustrative increase from one laying-down every eighteen months to one every nine months would create room for Norwegian orders.