Largest Navy ship has left Caribbean

Islands 24 June 2020 Hits: 2814

The joint support ship “Zr.Ms. Karel Doorman” visited St. Maarten during its deployment to the Caribbean to provide assistance during the coronavirus pandemic. The Dutch Navy ship left the Caribbean on June 15 and will arrive back in the Netherlands this Friday. (Dutch Defence photo)

THE HAGUE--After a 2.5-month deployment to the Dutch Caribbean, the Dutch Navy ship Zr.Ms. Karel Doorman will be arriving at its home port in Den Helder this Friday.

The largest ship of the Dutch Navy and its crew were in the Caribbean since April 24, mainly to assist local authorities in the fight against the coronavirus. In St. Maarten, the 48 marines of the 12^th Raiding Squadron provided support to maintain law and order during and after the lockdown.

The mission, named Carib Support, provided assistance in the form of transport, maritime border control and law-enforcement duties. The two Cougar helicopters of the Royal Air Force’s Defence Helicopter Commando were often deployed, and contributed to maritime border control.

The extensive medical capacities on board of the Zr.Ms. Karel Doorman, which include operation theatres and Intensive Care (IC) units, which served as a back-up in case the islands’ hospitals became too crowded with COVID-19 patients, were not needed after all.

The Navy ship also carried out several supply operations at sea with the patrol ship Zr.Ms. Zeeland whereby the latter received fuel. There was also a special meet-up with the French and British Navy ships that were also in the Caribbean for assistance in relation to the coronavirus.

Thanks to the presence of the Zr.Ms. Karel Doorman, multiple, large capacity was immediately available in case this was needed, Dutch Defence stated in a press release on Tuesday. In the coming period, Dutch Defence will keep providing support to the civil authorities in the Dutch Caribbean with other units.

These units will provide, among other things, medical support, food transports and maritime border control. Also available will be Dutch Defence personnel stationed in Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten.