The Nieuwe Haven in Den Helder, which serves as the Royal Netherlands Navy’s port, will get more mooring capacity, which is needed due to modernisation of the fleet and adapted safety requirements. The naval port is expected to be adapted by the end of 2029.
Dutch State Secretary of Defence, Christophe van der Maat, writes this in a letter to the House of Representatives.
The Nieuwe Haven is an important sea and naval port for the Netherlands. It plays a crucial role in the readiness, support and operations of modernised sailing units. The new combat support ship is expected to come to Den Helder next year for completion. In addition, modernisation and replacement projects are underway for mine-countermeasure vessels, M-frigates and submarines, among others.
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Making room for larger ships
‘The replacement ships are larger in most cases,’ says Van der Maat. ‘This calls for an expansion of the current port. Furthermore, the mooring alongside each other of ships carrying heavy munitions, such as missiles and torpedoes, will be restricted for safety reasons.’
The arrival of new jetties and quays will ensure sufficient mooring capacity. This expansion takes into account the now pending replacement of ships and expansion of the fleet until 2035. Any additional space needed in the future will be included in the modernisation of the naval port as part of the 2022 Strategic Property Plan.
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Planning
Defence is currently in the research phase. It is looking at how to approach construction, fit-out and operation. This will be followed by the acquisition preparation phase, construction preparation and realisation phase. The project budget is between EUR 100 and 250 million. This comes from the Defence investment budget.
Picture (top): Archive photo of the naval port in Den Helder (by the Dutch Ministry of Defence).
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