The Royal Netherlands Navy’s supply ship HNLMS Amsterdam has arrived with a shipboard NH-90 helicopter in the Caribbean. The ship reached the port of Curaçao on August 26 and will operate as guard ship in the Caribbean for the next 4 months.
The Amsterdam will carry out assignments for the Flag Officer, Caribbean, and for the Coastguard. The NH-90 maritime helicopter will provide assistance. The helicopter is equipped with modern sensors, with which a great deal of information can be collected.
With the deployment of the guard ship, the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Coastguard seek to improve security at sea and from the sea. The assignments will include maritime counter-drug operations, fisheries inspections and search-and-rescue operations. The Amsterdam is also well-suited to emergency assistance operations, for instance providing support in the aftermath of a hurricane.
[mappress]
Defensie, September 4, 2013; Image: Dutch MoD