Earliest mid-2026, the Netherlands Coastguard will be strengthened with ENFORCER, a Damen FCS 5009 vessel.

This vessel will be deployed in the years ahead to ensure the continuity of general coastguard duties in the North Sea. ENFORCER will provide additional support until the new generation of Coastguard ships goes into operation.

Modern addition to current fleet

The duties of the Netherlands Coastguard have expanded in recent years. The Rijksrederij (the Government Fleet Agency, part of Rijkswaterstaat) has therefore issued instructions for the charter of ENFORCER. With this modern vessel, the Coastguard will maintain its capability to perform their general activities in the North Sea.

Multraship ownership

ENFORCER will be owned by Multraship, which will therefore also be responsible for the vessel’s nautical crew and maintenance. The vessel will be under the operational command of the Dutch Coastguard.

Leendert Muller, Managing Director of Multraship. (Image credit: Multraship)

“We are very proud that the Coastguard and Rijkswaterstaat/Rijksrederij have selected us for this work as well,” says Leendert Muller, Managing Director of Multraship, the internationally operating family business from Zeeland (NL). “It ties in well with our present partners and we are happy to make our contribution to safety in the North Sea.”

Thanks in part to the axe bow developed by Damen and Delft University of Technology, the vessel has a top speed of 27 knots (some 50 kilometers an hour). In addition, ENFORCER has two high-speed tenders for inspections and enforcement at sea. The ship also has a towing system and a fire extinguishing installation.

Strengthening a successful partnership

Multraship already supplies the Rijksrederij with three Emergency Response and Towing Vessels (ERTVs). These vessels are used for emergency towage operations and general coastguard duties. The addition of ENFORCER builds on this successful alliance between government and maritime partners.