Article Posted on : - Oct 04, 2011

FRIESLAND, the third Holland-class OPV of Netherlands Navy. A Damen Schelde Naval photo

GALATI, ROMANIA (BNS): The Royal Netherlands Navy's third oceangoing patrol vessel (OPV) has begun sea acceptance trials in the Black Sea.

The ship, FRIESLAND, built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding, left the company's shipyard at Galati, Romania on September 27 to enter the sea.

During the 10-day extensive sea trials, which would be conducted by staff of Damen Shipyards Galati and Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding Vlissingen in the presence of Defence Material Organisation and the Netherlands Navy Command, the OPV will be subjected to extensive testing, the shipbuilder said.

The FRIESLAND is the third ship in the Holland class of four OPVs being built for the Royal Netherlands Navy.

The 108-meter long, flexibly deployable patrol ships, with a crew of 50, are designed to conduct multiple missions, including anti-piracy missions, counter-drug operations and coastal guard tasks in The Netherlands as well as the Caribbean.

The FRIESLAND will be handed over to the Defence Material Organisation in February of 2012, the shipyard said.