Damen: More than 100 companies to work on Dutch combat support ship

More than a hundred mainly Dutch companies will contribute to the construction of the Royal Netherlands Navy’s (RNLN) new combat support ship (CSS) HNLMS Den Helder (A834), shipbuilder Damen said.

The contract was signed today in Den Helder by the Director of Defence Material Organization (DMO), Vice Admiral Arie Jan de Waard and Arnout Damen, the new CEO of the family business Damen Shipyards Group.

Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) will supervise the project, together with DMO, as the main contractor. The total value of the project is about EUR 375 million.

With HNLMS Den Helder, the maritime supply capacity of the Royal Netherlands Navy will be restored. The ship will operate alongside the joint support ship HNLMS Karel Doorman.

The new ship can be used worldwide and can operate under high threat, protected by frigates. In addition, it can be used in the fight against drug trafficking, controlling refugee flows and providing emergency aid, according to Damen.

The supply ship, which is almost 200 meters long, will receive a 75-person crew and can also take 75 extra people on board. There is room for several helicopters and around 20 containers. The design explicitly looked at fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. The combination of diesel engines, hull shape and propeller design reduces fuel consumption by around 6 % compared to HNLMS Karel Doorman.

The completion of the ship is scheduled for the second quarter of 2024. A year later, in the second quarter of 2025, the newbuild is planned to be operational.