The Royal Netherlands Navy’s logistic support vessel HNLMS Pelikaan is undergoing refit works at the naval base Parera in Willemstad, Curaçao, where it is expected to remain until April 2017.
HNLMS Pelikaan was launched in 2006 in Galati, Romania, and sailed into Willemstad for the first time on 11 September 2006. Her arrival was welcomed by the local population, in recognition of her role in maintaining security and delivering emergency aid in the Caribbean.
The 65.4 metre vessel primarily supports operations and training conducted by the Dutch Ministry of Defense unit in the Caribbean, and also delivers aid and humanitarian assistance following hurricanes and other natural catastrophes. Most recently, she assisted in relief operations for Haiti following the passage of Hurricane Matthew in October 2016.
Dutch company Alewijnse Marine is in charge of the vessel’s electrical refit under a contract signed with the Royal Netherlands Navy.
Alewijnse will be delivering project management services and preparing, installing and commissioning all the new electrical systems and associated cabling on the external decks of the vessel. This includes the navigation equipment, electrical facilities and lighting.
“The Dutch Royal Navy has selected Alewijnse to travel to Curaçao to undertake the electrical refit, which shows the strong trust that they have in our knowledge and experience,” Alewijnse service coordinator Perry Eikelenboom commented. “Alewijnse designed and installed the original electrical systems on the vessel when she was built and eleven years later we have been invited back to take care of the systems upgrade.”