Harbour of Den Helder, Netherlands 29 September 2010
Netherlands-flagged, IMO 9280768, MMSI 244527000 and call sign PAJW. Especially built for amphibious operations on the frontier water-land. Able to act as floating headquarters for force of 50.000 military on land. Able to transport a complete amphibious marines battalion of maximum 555 men during 30 days and support then a land operation during 10 days and embark the battalion again. Contract for her building signed in May 2002. Laid down with yard number 393 at the Damen Shipyard at Galatz, Romania on 18 June 2003, the dry dock in which was the casco was built, was filled with water on 26 October 2004 to allow towing the casco to the deep part of the dock, later the casco was towed towards the Damen shipyard at Vlissingen where she was completed, christened on Saturday afternoon 13 May 2006, trials 20 September-11 October and in December 2006, commissioned on Friday 30 November 2007 and handed over by the shipyard to the Royal Netherlands Navy on 7 March 2008. Accommodation for maximum 739 persons. Displacement maximum 15.500 ton and dimensions 176,35 x 29,2 x 5,9 metres. Speed 19,5 knots. Crew numbers 146 persons. Armed with 2-3cm Goalkeeper systems.
