The Royal Netherlands Navy’s new Combat Support Ship Den Helder has taken a (very short) first trip on the river Danube. The vessel is under construction at Damen Shipyards’ Galati shipyard in Romania.
The Combat Support Ship (CSS) has been in the deep part of the dock since the end of last year, but needed to be moved temporarily to allow three other ships to be transferred into the shallow end of the dry dock. With the assistance of tugboats, the vessel was towed from the dock and moored along the quay at the Damen Galați shipyard.
Also read: Dutch navy’s new Combat Support Ship Den Helder floated
After 48 hours, the ship was moved back into the dock where work continues. Construction is on schedule, and sea trials are scheduled for January 2024 before the vessel is handed over to the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) by the end of the spring in 2024.
Also read: VIDEO: Damen unveils Floating Offshore Wind Support Vessel
