Netherlands Donates Decommissioned Mine Countermeasures Vessel to Ukraine

The Royal Netherlands Navy bid adieu to the HNLMS Vlaardingen on March 27 and announced its donation to the Ukrainian forces.

The decision to retire the vessel comes as part of a comprehensive overhaul of the nation's mine service.

“Today the Royal Navy said a ceremonial farewell to HNLMS Vlaardingen. The mine hunter was taken out of service after 35 years… The reason for this is that the mine service will be completely renewed in the coming years,” the Dutch MoD said in an official statement.

The Netherlands has announced the donation of the Vlaardingen to Ukraine. The exact timing of the donation remains unspecified.

The Vlaardingen has been a mainstay in NATO exercises and has undertaken numerous explosive clearance operations. Just this month, the vessel disarmed three aircraft bombs in the North Sea, including two 500-pounders and a 1,000-pounder. The North Sea remains littered with tens of thousands of mines, aircraft bombs, and other remnants of wartime ordnance. Weekly discoveries by fishermen along the coasts of the Netherlands and Belgium underscore the ongoing need for vigilant clearance operations.

The Dutch navy collaborates closely with its Belgian counterpart under the banner of "Beneficial Cooperation." Together, they work to safeguard the seas, coastal waters, and port entrances from the lurking dangers of mines and other explosives, ensuring the safety of maritime traffic and communities.

New minecountermeasures vessel to join Dutch navy next year

The Dutch navy is now gearing up to welcome the first of its new fleet, named Vlissingen, slated to join operational ranks in 2025. The vessel, currently under construction and launched last year in Concarneau, France, is on track to be handed over to the Royal Navy by the year's end.

This program was awarded in 2019 to Belgium Naval & Robotics, the consortium formed by Naval Group and Exail, following an international competition. It provides for the supply of twelve mine countermeasures vessels and around a hundred drones integrated inside a toolbox that will equip the vessels to both the Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy.

The first vessel, Oostende, intended for the Belgian Navy, was launched on March 29, 2023. Vlissingen is the second vessel of the program and the first one intended for the Royal Netherlands Navy.