Castor-class patrol vessel
Ship design project of the Belgian Navy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
Belgian NavyPollux 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 €32.35 million in 2025)[1] for 2 units |
| Built | 2013–2015, 2025-2027 |
| In commission | 2014–present |
| Planned | 3 |
| Building | 1 |
| 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 |
History
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, NAVALNEWS reported that the Belgian Ministry of Defense had completed negotiations with the shipyard in France Socarenam for the construction of a third ship.[7] The third vessel, now named Vega, was launched on 2 April 2026. She will remain at the shipyard for the out fitting stage of the build.[8]
