To blockade the entrance of harbours were merchant ships or warships used which were scuttled on the desired positions. Their wrecks made an use of the harbour not or hardly impossible until removal. Examples are the obsolete British Arrogant-class cruiser HMS Vindictive sunk during the attack on the German held harbour of Ostend, Belgium on 10 May 1918 and the Dutch passenger ship Jan Pieterszoon Coen on 14 May 1940 at IJmuiden, Netherlands. The British shipbuilding firm Thornycroft designed a vessel especially for that purpose of being used as block ship. It was to be made of reinforced concrete with as dimensions 200 x 28 feet and a displacement of 2.200 tons. The hull was shaped like the one of a submarine and suitable for quick flooding to scutle her within short time.
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