New Dutch combat support ship completes maiden voyage and initial sea trials

Before arriving in Vlissingen, the new combat support ship Den Helder carried out a replenishment at sea exercise with the RNLN's offshore patrol vessel HNLMS Friesland in the North Sea. (Damen)

The Royal Netherlands Navy's (RNLN's) new combat support ship (CSS) Den Helder (A 834) arrived at Damen Naval's facilities in Vlissingen, the Netherlands, on 13 December following the successful completion of its initial sea trials and maiden voyage from Romania, the shipbuilder confirmed the same day.

Den Helder set sail from Damen's shipyard in Galați, Romania, on 16 November to start its sea acceptance testing programme. The maiden voyage saw the CSS transit from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, where it conducted initial trials in and near the territorial waters of NATO partners en route to the Netherlands.

Following its arrival in Vlissingen, the new CSS will start the final outfitting phase of the project. Work will be carried out over the next few months at Damen's shipyard facilities in Vlissingen and Den Helder, after which the vessel will be handed over to the Dutch Ministry of Defence's Materiel and IT command (COMMIT) in the second quarter of 2025.

Under current planning, commissioning is scheduled for the second half of 2025, after which the CSS will be handed over to RNLN Command (CZSK) in 2026, Damen said.

The new CSS is being built by Damen under a contract awarded in February 2020. The ship started manufacturing activities in Galați in December 2020 and was laid down in June 2021. The vessel was built in modules, and the first major section – measuring 90 m – was launched on 11 April 2022.

Den Helder