The four patrol ships of the Royal Netherlands Navy require a so-called midlife update (MLU). Only with a modernization will the ships remain usable until they reach the end of their service life in 15 to 20 years.
State Secretary Barbara Visser informed the House today by letter about the project. Many parts of the ships, which are also referred to as Oceangoing Patrol Vessels (OPVs), will need to be replaced over the course of this decade. Otherwise, it can lead to malfunctions or even outages. These include important systems for the health and safety of personnel, such as alarms and air supply. It also becomes increasingly difficult to obtain spare parts without a Mid-Life Update (MLU).
The OPVs entered service between 2012-2013. They are designed for coast guard duties in the Netherlands and as an on-station ship in the Caribbean. The ships can also combat terrorism and piracy and offer humanitarian assistance such as disaster relief.