Keel for First Patrol Ship Laid Down

>A computer-generated view of the Dutch navys future Holland-class patrol frigate, whose keel was laid Dec. 8. (Damen Schelde photo)The Royal Netherlands Navy is to receive four brand new patrol ships which, among other missions, can be used to combat rising piracy at sea.>> The keel of the first unit, Holland, was laid down today at Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding at Ritthem, near Vlissingen.>> In the presence of representatives of the Ministry of Defence and of the shipyard, State Secretary Jack de Vries welded an old coin to the keel section, in a tradition dating back to the eighteenth century. This centuries-old ritual is intended to bring good luck to the shiop and its crew.>> The Holland is due to be christened in January 2010, and will be commissioned into the navy in May 2011.>> The following three patrol ships will also be named for Dutch coastal provinces, namely Zeeland, Friesland and Groningen. Their keels will be laid in September 2009, October 2009 and April 2010, respectively.>> The purchase of the vessels is related to the Navy blueprint of 2005. According to this document, the emphasis of naval operations has been moved to coastal waters, a consequence of the changing global security situation and of new threats such as terrorism and piracy.>> These reasons convinced the Ministry of Defence to procure four new patrol ships for tasks lower in the threat spectrum, such as anti-piracy, naval surveillance and inspections, and anti-narcotics operations.>> The Holland-class ships are 108 meters long, will be manned by a 50-man crew and will be able to reach a top speed of twenty knots.