Holland-Class Offshore Patrol Vessels

Holland-class offshore patrol vessels

The Holland-class offshore patrol vessels are new offshore patrol vessels for the Royal Netherlands Navy. They are designed to fulfill patrol and intervention tasks against lightly armed opponents, such as pirates and smugglers.

The vessels are planned to be deployed to the Caribbean region, the South China Sea and the North Sea.  They have the capability to carry out missions such as anti-piracy and blockade duties, and also can be used for emergency transport.

The Holland class' main armament is a 76mm Oto Melara Super Rapid gun with a firing rate of 120 rounds per minute and an effective range of 16 km.  Secondary armament is provided by a 30mm Oto Melara Marlin WS rapid cannon, two 12.7mm Oto Melara Hitrole NT's and two 12.7mm M2HB machine guns.  All can be remotely operated. 

Holland-class ships have a tonnage of 3,750 tons, are 108.4 metres (356 ft) in length, 16 metres (52 ft) in beam and have a draft of 4.55 metres (14.9 ft).  The ships have a speed of 21.5 knots and a range of 5000 nautical miles at 15 knots.  The ship's complement is 50 crew, as well as up to 40 people for duties such as helicopter or medical crew. 

The ships are built to a design that is intended to reduce the ability of radar to detect them, as well improving seakeeping by locating the superstructure unusually far aft.  The ships are painted a new light blue-gray color, which supposedly has a better camouflage-effect than the standard light-grey paint used by other RNLN-ships. The ships have a hangar and flightdeck for an NH-90 helicopter and also carry two Fast Raiding Interception Special forces Craft (FRISC), with a speed of more than 40 knots. 

The projected number of ships for the class is four; they are planned to be commissioned between 2011 and 2013. On December 20, 2007 the contract was signed for four ships at a cost of around €467.8 million.  The ships will be named after Dutch provinces of historical maritime importance. 

This is Holland’s debut to Edinburgh,  her sister Friesland made her debut to Leith a couple of years ago when she didn’t have her main mast. 

Ships of the class:

Holland (P840) entered service on the 6^th July 2012

Zeeland (P841) entered service on the 23^rd August 2013

Friesland (P842) began sea trials on 27^th September 2011

Groningen (P843) began sea trials on 21^st April 2011

Holland is seen below arriving at Leith on Friday 11^th April 2014.  

Bns Crocus

Belgian minehunter Crocus (M917) 
Crocus (M917) is a Tripartite class minehunter of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on September 3, 1986 at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde and christened by Mrs. Gaethofs-Schreurs, the wife of the then Mayor of Genk, on September 18, 1986. 

The patronage of the Crocus was accepted by the city of Genk. She is the third of the Belgian Tripartite class minehunters.

She is currently commanded by Lieutenant Commander Kurt De Winter.  

She is seen here arriving in Leith in abysmal weather on Friday 4^th April 2014.