HNLMS Van Amstel (F831)

For other ships with the same name, see HNLMS Van Amstel.

HNLMS Van Amstel (F831) is a ship of the Karel Doorman-class of multi-purpose frigates (also known as "M-fregat" class) of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Built by the shipyard Koninklijke Schelde Groep in Vlissingen. The ship is named after the Dutch Captain Jan van Amstel.

HNLMS Van Amstel (F831)

History
Netherlands
Name	HNLMS Van Amstel
Namesake	Jan van Amstel
Builder	Koninklijke Schelde Groep, Vlissingen
Laid down	3 May 1987
Launched	19 May 1990
Commissioned	27 May 1993
Identification	MMSI number: 245965000 Callsign: PAME
Status	in active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class & type	Karel Doorman-class frigate
Displacement	3,300 tons
Length	122 m (400 ft 3 in)
Beam	14.4 m (47 ft 3 in)
Draught	6.2 m (20 ft 4 in)
Propulsion	2 Rolls-Royce (Spey 1A) 12,500 kW (16,700 hp) gas turbines 2 Stork-Werkspoor 3,650 kW (4,895 hp) diesel engines
Speed	29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph) (gas turbines) 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) (diesels)
Range	5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Endurance	30 days
Complement	154
Sensors & processing systems	Thales Nederland LW-08 early warning radar Thales Nederland SMART-S 3-D air-search SeaWatcher 100 active phased array surface detection and tracking radar Thales Gatekeeper Staring Electro-Optic Ship Security System Thales Scout surface search radar 2 × Thales STIR-18 fire control radar Decca 1609/9 navigation radar PHS-36 active bow sonar
Electronic warfare & decoys	Thales Vigile APX Radar Electronic Support Measures
Armament	1 × Oto Melara 76 mm anti-air/anti-surface gun 16-cell Mark 48 Vertical Launch System (VLS) - 16 Sea Sparrow missile 8 × Harpoon anti-ship missiles 1 × Goalkeeper CIWS (point defence gun) 4 × Mk 32 324 mm torpedo tubes, Mark 46 torpedoes
Aircraft carried	NH90 NFH (as of 2013) helicopter

History

1990s

In 1995 the ship assisted in the response after Hurricane Luis at the island of Sint Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles.

2000s

The ship was deployed in a multinational force in the Oman Sea in 2001/2002 in Operation Enduring Freedom.

In September 2005 the ship assisted in the Dutch response to Hurricane Katrina by sending its sailors ashore to southern Mississippi to distribute aid supplies to hurricane victims in conjunction with Mexican marines, U.S. Navy sailors, and U.S. Marines.^[1][2]

2010s

On 11 May 2012, Van Amstel apprehended 11 Somali pirates after the ship's Lynx helicopter sighted a suspicious fishing dhow towing two skiffs, 400 nautical miles (740 km; 460 mi) off the Somali coast. When the ship's boarding team approached the dhow, the team found 11 suspected pirates of Somali origin and a total of 17 hostages on board. After taking the suspected pirates to the Van Amstel, the boarding team found significant evidence that linked the 11 men to an armed attack on the motor tanker Super Lady a few days prior. The 17 hostages were freed. They were Iranian fishermen.^[3]

In 2016, Van Amstel joined Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2).^[4] That same year Van Amstel also rescued migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.^[5]

In April 2017, Van Amstel seized nearly 700 kilograms (1,500 lb) of cocaine in two separate drug busts. The busts happened in waters between Curaçao and Colombia.^[6]

From 26 June to 6 July 2018, Van Amstel participated in Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2018 along with units from other nations.^[7]

2020s

Van Amstel on 23 May 2023

In May 2022, Van Amstel participated in the Mjølner exercise off Andøy Island, Norway.^[8]

On 9 October 2022, Van Amstel along with HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën deployed to conduct drills with the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.^[9]

In June 2025 Van Amstel, together with HNLMS De Ruyter, participated in the maritime combat exercise Polaris.^[10]