A new combat support ship, HNLMS Den Helder, has joined the Royal Netherlands Navy. The vessel has just arrived at its permanent home port, marking a key milestone in its commissioning process. Notably, the ship’s structure includes 5,000 tonnes of steel supplied by Metinvest Group, sourced from Ukraine’s Azovstal plant and Italy’s Metinvest Trametal facility.
The steel from Mariupol was delivered before Russia’s full-scale invasion—in 2020–2021. A total of 4,760 tonnes came from Azovstal and another 240 tonnes from Italy. The ship was built at the Damen Galati shipyard in Romania, which is part of the Damen Shipyards Group—one of Europe’s leading shipbuilding companies.
Den Helder is nearly 180 metres long and is capable of supplying up to six other ships with fuel, provisions, water, and ammunition simultaneously. It has a core crew of 76 and can accommodate an additional 80 personnel.
The project began in December 2020. After the keel was laid in June 2021, the hull was assembled using a modular approach and launched in April 2022. The ship is scheduled to enter full service on October 1, 2025, and reach full operational readiness by mid-2026.
Metinvest noted that the use of steel from Azovstal carries symbolic weight: it represents not only industrial material but also the strength of the Ukrainian spirit and Ukraine’s contribution to the security of its international partners.
