Damen to build three next-gen patrol vessels for Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard

March 18, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract for the delivery of three Damen Stan Patrol (SPa) 5009 vessels for the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard.

As informed, the contract was signed on March 12, 2026, with the Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands, following a tender procedure.

The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard is a joint effort comprising the constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the region. The coast guard will operate the SPa 5009 vessels, which are expected to be delivered in early 2029, for maritime surveillance, detection, and assistance at sea, including police duties, border patrol, and search and rescue (SAR) operations.

To fully meet the requirements of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard, Damen will customise the standard design of the SPa 5009. This includes provision of specified levels of crew comfort, a high level of systems integration, and additional firefighting (FiFi) capabilities.

Additionally, the company will deliver a comprehensive integrated logistics support (ILS) package to the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard, providing the resources necessary to operate and maintain the vessels’ systems throughout their lifecycle.

To enable the coast guard to perform its duties at night and in poor visibility, the shipbuilder is outfitting the three vessels with modern sensors, such as advanced radar and electro-optical sensors.

Damen delivered the current SPa 4100 vessels, Jaguar, Panter, and Poema to the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard in the 1990s. Replacing the ageing vessels with new tonnage will provide the coast guard with the capability for “increasingly efficient operations and reduced maintenance requirements”.

Additionally, at 50 meters in length, the SPa 5009 is over 7 metres longer than the predecessor vessels. This additional length will allow the vessels to operate with more comfort in higher sea states and for longer periods, the firm noted.

In addition to the delivery of the SPa 5009 vessels, Damen will also provide the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard with four interceptors 1102, both larger and faster than the RHIBs currently in operation with the coast guard.

An interceptor will be deployed onboard each of the SPa 5009 vessels, while the additional vessel will be used for training and maintenance rotation purposes. With the capability to operate at speeds of up to 50 knots, the interceptor 1102 is an ideal tool to support anti-smuggling operations, it was concluded.