Netherlands Coastguard

Maritime law enforcement branch of the Royal Netherlands Navy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Netherlands Coastguard

The Netherlands Coastguard (Dutch: Kustwacht Nederland) is a civil organisation that carries out tasks on the Netherlands North Sea for six Ministries under administration of the Royal Netherlands Navy.[4] Its operational command falls under the Ministry of Defence, and the Royal Netherlands Navy is responsible for its coordination.[5]

Quick Facts Netherlands Coastguard Kustwacht Nederland, Motto ...
Netherlands Coastguard
Kustwacht Nederland
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Netherlands Coast Guard emblem
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Ensign
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MottoServamus Servientes
Agency overview
FormedFebruary 26, 1987
Annual budget64,258,000 (2020)[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionNetherlands
Constituting instrument
  • Regulation on organization of Netherlands Coastguard, 2019[2]
Specialist jurisdiction
  • Coastal patrol, marine border protection, marine search and rescue.
Operational structure
Elected officer responsible
Agency executive
  • Nicole Kuipers[3], Director
Parent agencyRoyal Netherlands Navy
Website
www.kustwacht.nl
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The headquarters of the Netherlands Coastguard is located in Den Helder, and the director is former naval commander Nicole Kuipers.[6]

History

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While the Netherlands Coastguard was officially established on 26 February 1987,[7] a less formal Dutch coastguard had been active since 1883. In 1882 the gunboat HNLMS Adder sunk off Scheveningen with the death of all 65 aboard. The public outcry that followed led to reforms, including an improved system of observing, reporting and assisting ships in distress off the coast, with better cooperation between lighthouses and government agencies.[7]

After World War II the area that could be covered off-coast became larger with new technologies such as radar and better means of communication. At the same time, government desire to protect Dutch interests in the North Sea, such as fishery, and extraction of oil, gas, sand and gravel, led to each ministry establishing its own department with, at one point, over twenty government organisations at work off the Dutch coast. To stop this fragmentation, in 1984 Minister Smit-Kroes of Traffic and water management ordered a review to examine how to make guarding the coast of the Netherlands more efficient and effective. The results of this review were published in 1986 and led to the creation of a single coastguard agency, namely the Netherlands Coastguard.[7]

Initially, the Coast Guard headquarters was housed in a building belonging to the coast radio station Scheveningen Radio [nl] in IJmuiden. In 1995 the Coast Guard was assigned to the Ministry of Defense and on 23 November 2001 the headquarters moved to the Royal Netherlands Navy's Command in Den Helder.

Organisation

The Netherlands Coastguard carries out duties for six government ministries, these ministries are the:[8]

JRCC Den Helder

The Kustwachtcentrum (English: Coastguard Center) in Den Helder is also the Netherlands Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC Den Helder, Call DEN HELDER RESCUE). It coordinates not only sea rescue (MRCC) but also air rescue (ARCC). Emergency calls in the monitored area of the North Sea and the airspace of the Netherlands are recorded at all times. A back office, which has access to the various databases of the authorities involved, serves to support the front office. For the SAR services, the lifeboats of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij (KNRM) get coordinated.

Tasks

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Netherlands Coastguard Dornier 228 arrives for the Royal International Air Tattoo, England, UK (2014)

The Coastguard tasks can be divided into Provision of service tasks and Law enforcement tasks.[4]

  • Provision of service tasks:
    • Monitoring, handling and coordinating national and international Distress, Urgency and Safety radio traffic
    • Maritime assistance and Search and Rescue
    • Limiting and dealing with the aftermath of disasters and incidents
    • Wherever necessary, implementing vessel traffic services (buoys, vessel traffic service, instructions)
    • Maritime traffic research
  • Law enforcement tasks:
    • Maintaining law and order (police)
    • Monitoring import, export and transit of goods (customs)
    • Upholding laws regarding environment, sea fishing, nautical traffic, ships equipment and offshore activities
    • Border control

Equipment

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Vessels

The Coast Guard has no vessels of its own, so resources are made available by the cooperating ministries and services[9]

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The Barend Biesheuvel Coast Guard vessel
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The Arca multi-purpose vessel
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The Zeearend patrol vessel
More information Vessel(s), Origin ...
Vessel(s) Origin Type Owner
Arca Netherlands Multi-purpose vessel Rijkswaterstaat
Barend Biesheuvel Netherlands Patrol boat Rijkswaterstaat
Frans Naerebout Netherlands Buoy tender Rijkswaterstaat
Guardian Netherlands Towing vessel Multraship
Multraship Commander Netherlands Shipping safety Multraship
Multraship Protector Netherlands Shipping safety Multraship
P41 Netherlands Patrol boat Dutch National Police
P42 Netherlands Patrol boat Dutch National Police
P44 Netherlands Patrol boat Dutch National Police
P45 Netherlands Patrol boat Dutch National Police
Various classes of lifeboat* Netherlands Lifeboat Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution
RHIB's (Aboard other vessels)* Netherlands Speedboat Rijkswaterstaat
Rotterdam Netherlands Buoy tender Rijkswaterstaat
Terschelling Netherlands Buoy tender Rijkswaterstaat
Visarend Netherlands Patrol boat Rijkswaterstaat
Zeearend Netherlands Patrol boat Rijkswaterstaat
Waddenstroom Netherlands Multi-purpose vessel Rijkswaterstaat (lended per case)
Merwestroom Netherlands Multi-purpose vessel Rijkswaterstaat (lended per case)
Scheldestroom Netherlands Multi-purpose vessel Rijkswaterstaat (lended per case)
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* = Multiple smaller vessels as opposed to one vessel.

See also

References

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