Den Helder christening is technical milestone for Dutch navy

On 22 February 2025 the Dutch combat support ship Den Helder was christened at a ceremony in Vlissingen.

The ceremony was attended by 1,100 guests, including high-ranking representatives from the Dutch Ministry of Defence and the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN). The christening its was performed by Crown Princess Amalia in her first sole official act. Special significance is attached to this in the Netherlands as, with the traditional champagne bottle and a symbolic cutting of the last mooring lines, the Crown Princess demonstrated the longstanding connection between the Dutch royal family and the country’s navy. It was also the first time a champagne bottle had been broken on the hull of a new Dutch naval vessel in almost 11 years.

Following the ship’s transfer voyage from the Damen-Galati shipyard in Romania to the Netherlands, which began in November 2024, a lot has happened, as evidenced to the observer by the ship’s NS 106 radar.

Den Helder is designed as a modern fleet support provider and is intended for crisis intervention and counter-narcotics tasks. With its ability to supply a naval task force of up to six ships, even under adverse weather conditions, the vessel is designed to supply naval units worldwide with fuel, ammunition, water, food and spare parts. Thanks to its integrated medical facilities (Role-2) and flexible operational configuration, the ship can also be used for humanitarian missions. Two 40-tonne cranes ensure independent material handling.

The ship is therefore a building block in the RNLN’s modernisation programme.

For the time being, further outfitting of Den Helder will continue in Vlissingen. According to information posted on the Dutch naval news website marineschepen.nl, the ship will arrive in Den Helder at the end of March. Commissioning, originally scheduled for the second quarter of 2026, should be possible as early as the autumn, according to marineschepen.nl.