The Netherlands Defence Material Organisation (DMO) formally handed over the 28,000-ton Joint Logistic Support Ship (JSS) HNLMS Karel Doorman to the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) on 24 September.
The ceremony marked the successful completion of the majority of the ship's sea acceptance test programme, a DMO spokesperson said. Karel Doorman will now start its work-up trajectory, with a view to achieving full operational readiness by mid-2016.
Built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding yard in Vlissingen under a contract signed in December 2009, Karel Doorman was laid down in June 2011 and launched in October 2012. Before completion the ship found itself in 2013 declared surplus to requirements under austerity-driven defence budget cuts. The decision was reversed by the Dutch government and it officially entered service with the RNLN on 24 April 2015.
Following commissioning, the ship embarked on a nine-week deployment to Norway, Canada, the United States, and the Dutch Antilles where it conducted warm weather trials, and underwater and magnetic signature testing under DMO supervision. In addition to the DMO's test programme, Karel Doorman was used for replenishment at sea operations throughout the nine weeks, transport of equipment to the Dutch Antilles, and successful trials with a Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. It also participated in the annual 'Hurricane Exercise' ('HUREX 2015'), demonstrating the versatility and potential of the ship, the spokesperson said.
Prior to commissioning, in November 2014 the ship also completed a three-month deployment to West Africa to deliver aid to Ebola-struck countries.
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