Castor-class patrol vessel
 Pollux in Zeebrugge
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Castor-class coastal patrol vessel |
| Builders | Socarenam, Boulogne-sur-Mer, France |
| Operators |  Belgian Navy |
| Cost | €26.6 million (2013) (equivalent to €29.95 million in 2022)[1] for 2 units |
| Built | 2013–2015 |
| In commission | 2014–present |
| Planned | 2 |
| Completed | 2 |
| Active | 2 |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Type | Patrol vessel |
| Displacement | 455 t (448 long tons) full load |
| Length | 53.50 m (175 ft 6 in) |
| Beam | 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in) |
| Draught | 3.19 m (10 ft 6 in) |
| Propulsion | 2 × 2,880 kW (3,860 hp) MTU diesel engines |
| Speed | 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) (maximum) |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 2 × RHIBs |
| Crew | 15 |
The Castor class is a pair of coastal patrol vessels in service with the Belgian Navy, used primarily for patrol of the Belgian exclusive economic zone of the North Sea.[2]
History
[edit]In January 2012 Belgian Minister of Defence Pieter De Crem presented plans for the future of the navy. In these plans a budget of €34 million was set aside for two Ready Duty Ships. These plans where approved by the Belgian Government in May of that same year. Both Damen Group and Socarenam responded to an invitation to tender. Damen proposed a variant of their Stan Patrol vessel which was already in use by a number of navies. However, in December 2012, an order for two ships was placed with Socarenam for a far lower price (€26.6 million ) than the initial budget. Construction of the first ship began in June 2013.[2]
Castor was delivered to the navy in 2014.[3] She was followed by Pollux in 2015.[4]
In March 2023 it was revealed that the Belgian Navy is looking into acquiring a third patrol vessel which could be a third Castor-class ship. A decision is expected in summer 2023.[5][6]
In November 2024, NAVELNEWS reported that the Belgian Ministry of Defense had completed negotiations with the shipyard in France Socarenam for the construction of a third ship.[7]
Ships in class
[edit]| Pennant no. | Name | Builder | Launched | Commissioned | Status | Picture | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P901 | Castor | Socarenam, Boulogne-sur-Mer, France | 14 April 2014[8] | 10 July 2014[3] | In active service | 
|
|
| P902 | Pollux | 22 December 2014 | 6 May 2015[4] | In active service |
|
References
[edit]- ^ 1262 to 1789 Leonardo Ridolfi, The French economy in the longue durée: a study on real wages, working days and economic performance from Louis IX to the Revolution (1250–1789), Ridolfi, L. (2019). Six Centuries of Real Wages in France from Louis IX to Napoleon III: 1250–1860. The Journal of Economic History, 79(3), 589-627. 1798 to 1809: Mitchell, B. R. (Brian R.). (1975). European historical statistics, 1750-1970. New York: Columbia University Press, 1810 to 1903: Sauvy, Alfred. Variations des prix de 1810 à nos jours. Journal de la société française de statistique, Volume 93 (1952) , pp. 88-104 1904 to 2022: Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques, Coefficient de transformation de l'euro ou du franc d'une année, en euro ou en franc d'une autre année – Base 2015 – Série utilisée par le convertisseur franc-euro – Identifiant 010605954
- ^ a b c "Castorklasse patrouilleschepen (België)" (in Dutch). Marineschepen.nl. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Dopen van het patrouillevaartuig P901 "Castor"" (in Dutch). Monarchie.be. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Doop patrouillevaartuig P902 "Pollux"" (in Dutch). Monarchie.be. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
- ^ "België wil derde patrouilleschip - wordt het een eenling?" (in Dutch). Marineschepen.nl. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ "Belgian Navy To Procure A Third Coastal Patrol Vessel". Navalnews.com. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ Gain, Nathan (2024-11-14). "Belgium procures third Coastal Patrol Vessel from France". Naval News. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
- ^ "Eerste nieuwe Belgische patrouilleschip 'Castor' te water gelaten" (in Dutch). Standaard.be. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
