Alfa Laval jumps onboard Belgian-Dutch Navy’s ASW frigate project

Damen Naval has contracted Alfa Laval Benelux to deliver fuel oil separators, cleaning tables, oily bilge water separators and ILS deliverables for the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigates for the Royal Netherlands Navy and Belgian Navy.

In June 2023, Damen Naval was awarded the contract to design and build four ASW frigates, two for the Netherlands and two for Belgium.

In September, the Dutch government unveiled plans to increase the national defense budget, and the Dutch Ministry of Defence presented the Defence Whitepaper 2024 to order additional frigates. The ASW frigates will replace the current Karel Doorman class multipurpose frigates. While they can be deployed for multiple tasks, the emphasis will be on anti-submarine warfare. 

“We are delighted to welcome another Dutch partner on this prestigious project,” said Damen Naval Director of Corporate Strategy & Innovation Richard Keulen.

“This project is unique because we are building identical frigates for two different NATO partners. Projects such as these are crucial for the Dutch naval shipbuilding industry, and we want to make sure to involve as many Dutch suppliers as possible.” 

Alfa Laval Benelux will supply the frigates with skid-built fuel oil separators suitable for different fuel types. A cleaning table shall be provided for cleaning of the fuel oil separator parts. The oily bilge water separator (PureBilge) is a fully automated centrifugal separation system that cleans oily water effectively at sea. The oily bilge water separator unit shall be skid-built, complete with interconnecting pipes and electrical cabling, according to the company.

In addition to the ASWF project, Damen Naval and Alfa Laval are also collaborating on the combat support ship being built for the Royal Netherlands Navy and the F126 frigates that Damen Naval is designing and building for the German Navy.