The Dutch fleet is replenished with the Den Helder ship made of Metinvest steel

5 thousand tons of steel produced by Azovstal and Metinvest Trametal were used in the construction.

До складу Королівського флоту Нідерландів увійшов новий корабель бойового забезпечення HNLMS Den Helder. Він щойно прибув до постійного порту базування, завершивши ключовий етап підготовки до служби. Важливо, що в основі конструкції судна – 5 тис. т сталі, поставленої групою «Метінвест», зокрема з українського комбінату «Азовсталь» та італійського заводу Metinvest Trametal.

Сталь із Маріуполя було поставлено ще до повномасштабного вторгнення Росії – у 2020-2021 роках. Загалом 4,76 тис. т надійшло з «Азовсталі», ще 240 т – з Італії. Будівництво корабля відбувалося на румунській верфі Damen Galati, яка входить до міжнародної Damen

A new combat support ship, the HNLMS Den Helder, has joined the Royal Netherlands Navy. It has just arrived at its permanent home port, completing a key stage of preparation for service. It is important to note that the ship’s construction is based on 5,000 tons of steel supplied by Metinvest Group, in particular from Azovstal and Metinvest Trametal in Italy.

The steel from Mariupol was supplied before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2020-2021. In total, 4.76 thousand tons came from Azovstal, and another 240 tons from Italy. The ship was built at the Romanian shipyard Damen Galati, which is part of the international Damen Shipyards Group, one of the leading shipbuilding holdings in Europe.

Den Helder is a nearly 180-meter-long vessel capable of supplying fuel, provisions, water and ammunition to up to six other ships simultaneously. It is designed for a crew of 76 people and can accommodate an additional 80.

The project started in December 2020. After the keel was laid in June 2021, the hull was assembled using modular technology and launched in April 2022. The ship is scheduled to be fully commissioned on October 1, 2025, and should reach full combat readiness by mid-2026.

Metinvest noted that the use of steel from Azovstal has a symbolic meaning: it is not only metal, but also evidence of the strength of the Ukrainian spirit and a contribution to the security of Ukraine’s international partners.

As a reminder, Ukrainian steel from Metinvest Group became the basis for the new combat support ship Den Helder, which will join the Royal Netherlands Navy. 5 thousand tons of steel were used for its construction: 4.76 thousand tons produced by Azovstal Iron and Steel Works of Mariupol and another 240 tons by Metinvest Trametal, an Italian company.