Image: Damen Shipyards Group
The Dutch Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Damen Shipyards Group for three Stan Patrol 5009 vessels to replace the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard’s 25-year-old fleet.
The deal, concluded on 12 March following a formal tender process, will see the new vessels delivered in early 2029, according to Damen. They will retire the Jaguar, Panter, and Poema — SPa 4100-class ships in service since the 1990s.
A Significant Capability Step
The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard is a joint operation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands’ constituent countries in the region. It conducts maritime surveillance, border patrol, police duties, and search and rescue across some of the Caribbean’s most demanding waters.
At 50 metres, the SPa 5009 is more than seven metres longer than the vessels it replaces. The added length gives crews greater endurance in rough sea states and extends patrol durations considerably.
The design directly evolves from Damen’s earlier work. The SPa 4100 was the first Damen vessel to apply the Enlarged Ship Concept — a long, slender hull engineered to cut vertical acceleration and improve crew comfort in heavy seas. The SPa 5009 takes that further with Damen’s Axe Bow, which drives through waves rather than riding over them, reducing hull slamming and cutting fuel burn.
Built for the Mission
Damen will tailor the standard SPa 5009 design to the coast guard’s specific requirements. That includes enhanced crew comfort, deeper systems integration, and additional firefighting capability. A full integrated logistics support package is also part of the contract, covering the tools and resources needed to sustain the vessels across their entire service life.
For operations at night or in poor visibility — routine challenges across the Caribbean — the vessels will carry modern sensor suites, including advanced radar and electro-optical systems.
Fast Interceptors Round Out the Package
Alongside the three patrol vessels, Damen will deliver four Interceptor 1102 craft. One will deploy aboard each SPa 5009; the fourth supports training and maintenance rotation.
The Interceptors are both larger and faster than the rigid-hulled inflatables currently operated by the coast guard. With a top speed of 50 knots, they give the coast guard a sharp tool for counter-narcotics and anti-smuggling operations — a persistent operational demand across the Caribbean, one of the world’s busiest narcotics transit corridors.
Long-Term Investment
The Dutch Caribbean islands sit at a strategically important stretch of the Atlantic. The procurement gives the Netherlands’ Caribbean maritime arm the modern platforms and sensors to sustain effective operations for decades ahead.
Further details are available on the Damen Shipyards website