Belgian ship Godetia

Last updated
Godetia (A 960).jpg
Godetia
History
Naval Ensign of Belgium.svgBelgium
NameGodetia
BuilderBoelwerf, Temse
Laid down15 February 1965
Launched7 December 1965
Commissioned2 June 1966
Decommissioned26 June 2021
Homeport Zeebrugge Naval Base
Identification
StatusDecommissioned
General characteristics
Type Command and logistical support ship
Displacement
  • 2,000  t (2,000 long tons) standard
  • 2,500 t (2,500 long tons) fully loaded
Length91.83 m (301 ft 3 in)
Beam14.00 m (45 ft 11 in)
Draught3.50 m (11 ft 6 in)
Installed power4 × ACEC-MAN diesel engines, 4,000  kW (5,400  bhp)
Propulsion2 × shafts, controllable pitch propellers
Speed19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Range6,000  nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement96
Armament6 × single 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine guns
Aircraft carried1 helicopter
Aviation facilitiesHelipad
Godetia entering Portsmouth Naval Base, UK, on 9 July 2010 BNS Godetia-2.JPG
Godetia entering Portsmouth Naval Base, UK, on 9 July 2010
Godetia Ship Crest Godetia Ship Crest.jpg
Godetia Ship Crest

Godetia (A960) was a command and logistical support ship of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on 7 December 1965 at the Boelwerf in Temse and entered service on 2 June 1966. The patronage of Godetia was accepted by the city of Ostend. She was the first of two support ships acquired to replace World War II-era ships. Used primarily to provide logistic support to Belgium's fleet of minesweepers, Godetia has also seen service as a training ship, royal yacht and fisheries protection. The vessel has served with NATO's Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 in the Baltic and North seas. In June 2021, Godetia was taken out of service.

Contents

Description

Godetia was designed as a command and logistical support ship and measured 92 m (301 ft) long overall and 88 metres (289 ft) at the waterline, with a beam of 14 metres (46 ft) and a draught of 3.48 metres (11 ft 5 in). The ship had a light displacement of 1,700 tonnes (1,700 long tons ) and 2,300 t (2,300 long tons) at full load. The ship was powered by four ACEC-MAN diesel engines turning two shafts with controllable pitch propellers creating 4,000 kilowatts (5,400  bhp ). Godetia had a maximum speed of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) and a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). [1]

The ship was initially armed with two twin-mounted Bofors 40-millimetre (1.6 in) guns located fore and aft. Godetia had a complement of 100 with accommodation for an additional 35 personnel. [1] The vessel has a large central hold serviced by a single crane. [2] The ship was equipped with royal apartments for the monarch of Belgium. [1] The ship has passive tank stabilisation and closed-circuit ventilation. It could accommodate oceanographic research personnel and had laboratory space. [3]

Refits

A refit in the late 1960s saw the aft 40 mm gun mount removed and the first level of the superstructure extended aft to create a landing pad for use by a light helicopter. Furthermore, reels of minesweeping cable were placed to either side of the landing pad. [2] A refit in 1979–1980 saw the foremost cable reel removed and replaced with a deckhouse. The remaining twin 40 mm gun mount was removed and a single 40 mm gun mount was installed along with four twin 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine gun mounts. [2] Godetia underwent a mid-life refit in 1981–1982 which increased the ship's displacement to 2,000 tonnes (2,000 long tons) standard and 2,500 tonnes (2,500 long tons) fully loaded. The helicopter deck was extended further aft to allow Alouette III helicopters to continue to land as the fore part of the deck was used to store minesweeping cable drums. [4] Furthermore, a hangar was fitted in front of the landing pad and the crane was replaced. [5] The four twin 12.7 mm mounts were removed in 1983. [6] Six single 12.7 mm guns were later installed aboard the ship. [3] The ship was refitted again in 2006 and 2009, with the minesweeping cables removed, a mine avoidance sonar installed. [7] The complement changed to 8 officers, 84 enlisted personnel and up to 40 cadets. [3]

Construction and career

Godetia officers and crew visiting the United Kingdom (1970s-1980s) Belgian Navy A690 Godetia Officers and Crew at Blyth Power Station.jpg
Godetia officers and crew visiting the United Kingdom (1970s–1980s)

The ship was constructed by Boelwerf in Temse, the first of two logistics ships ordered by Belgium to replace the ageing Kamina, which had transferred to the Belgian Navy after being seized after World War II from the Germans. [8] The logistics vessel was laid down on 15 February 1965, launched on 7 December 1965 and commissioned into the Belgian Naval Component on 2 June 1966. [1] Godetia is the second naval ship named for the flower operated by Belgians after HMS Godetia, a British Flower-class corvette which was crewed by Belgian sailors during World War II. The ship's main mission was to provide logistic support to Belgium and its allies' fleet of minesweepers. [2] However, the ship was later re-designated a mine countermeasures support ship and also used for training and fisheries protection. [3]

Godetia served with NATO's Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) in 2007 in the Baltic and North seas, [9] and became the flagship of the unit in 2018. [10] In May–June 2015 Godetia was a part of the European Union's Triton operation, enforcing the maritime border in the Mediterranean Sea. [11] In May, the ship recovered 200 migrants from a boat adrift in the Mediterranean after the boat's engine failed. Then in June a further 103 migrants were saved from an overloaded boat and brought to Italy for care. [12] In 2021, Godetia rejoined SNMCMG1 for a final mission before being withdrawn from service on 26 June 2021. [13] [14] Belgium has no plans to replace the vessel. [14]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Blackman 1967, p. 20.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 28.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Wertheim 2013, p. 48.
  4. Wertheim 2013, p. 13.
  5. Sharpe 1990, p. 47.
  6. Couhat 1986, p. 28.
  7. Saunders 2009, p. 65.
  8. Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, pp. 24, 28.
  9. "NATO Warships Keep the Seabed Clean". Maritime Journal. 1 May 2007. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  10. "BNS Godetia becomes NATO SNMCMG1 flagship". Naval Today. 25 July 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-07-25. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  11. "Flow of migrants from Libya to continue: EU border agency". Yahoo! News. Agence France-Presse. 19 June 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  12. "Belgian ship rescues 130 from overcrowded boat". flandersnews.be. 3 June 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  13. "Une dernière mission de six mois pour le Godetia avant son retrait du service". defencebelgium.com (in French). 18 January 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-01-19. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  14. 1 2 "La Marine a dit adieu au Godetia après plus de 50 années de service". defencebelgium.com (in French). 26 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-06-26. Retrieved 5 July 2021.

Related Research Articles

<i>Admiral Petre Bărbuneanu</i>-class corvette

The Admiral Petre Bărbuneanu-class corvette is a series of four corvettes designed and constructed for the Romanian Naval Forces primarily for anti-submarine warfare. Only two corvettes out of a total of the four are still in service. Designed and constructed in the 1980s, they are a product of the Cold War with their armament and sensors based on Soviet designs. This class of corvettes was superseded by the Rear-Admiral Eustațiu Sebastian (Tetal-II) class.

ROCS <i>Yueh Fei</i> Taiwanese Cheng Kung-class frigate

ROCS Yueh Fei, is a Cheng Kung-class guided-missile frigate of the Republic of China Navy (ROCN). She is the fourth ship of the class. Named for the famous Chinese commander Yue Fei, the ship was constructed by the China Shipbuilding Corporation at their yard in Kaoshuing, Taiwan. The Cheng Kung-class frigates are based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry class and share many of the same characteristics, the main difference being armed with Taiwanese Hsiung Feng II and Hsiung Feng III surface-to-surface missiles and different sensors. Yueh Fei was laid down on 5 September 1992, launched on 26 August 1994 and commissioned into the ROCN on 7 February 1996.

<i>DEstienne dOrves</i>-class aviso Class of naval vessel

The D'Estienne d'Orves-class avisos, also known as the A69 type avisos, is a class of avisos, comparable in size to a light corvette, mainly designed for coastal anti-submarine defence, but are also available for high sea escort missions. Built on a simple and robust design, they have an economical and reliable propulsion system which allows them to be used for overseas presence missions. They were initially intended for use by the French Navy, but have been ordered by the South African Navy, Argentinian Navy and Turkish Navy.

ROCS <i>Tian Dan</i> Cheng Kung-class frigates

ROCS Tian Dan is the eighth ship of the Cheng Kung-class guided-missile frigates of the Republic of China Navy (ROCN), which was based on the Oliver Hazard Perry class of the United States Navy. Tian Dan was intended to be the first hull of the second batch of the class, with improved armament and electronics. However, delays in the development of the weapon systems and electronics led to the second batch being cancelled. In 1999, the first ship of the second batch was re-ordered to the standard design with all the improvements to the design. The ship was constructed beginning in 2001 by the China Shipbuilding Corporation in Taiwan and the frigate was launched in 2002 and entered service with the ROCN in 2004. In 2014, Tian Dan was among the Taiwanese vessels sent to assist in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight.

<i>Almirante Padilla</i>-class frigate

The Almirante Padilla-class frigates is a series of frigates operated by the Colombian Navy. The designation of this class is Type FS 1500 and there are four ships in service. The ships were built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) at Kiel, West Germany in the 1980s, with the first vessel commissioning in 1983 and the last in 1984. The frigates have undergone significant modification over their careers with the 2012 Orion Program Upgrade significantly modernising the vessels. Two similar ships operate as the Kasturi-class corvettes in the Royal Malaysian Navy.

HMS <i>Pelorus</i> (J291) Algerine-class minesweeper built for the Royal Navy during World War II

HMS Pelorus was an Algerine-class minesweeper built for the Royal Navy (RN) during World War II. Upon completion, the ship became the flotilla leader of the 7th Minesweeper Flotilla, clearing mines off the east coast of England. In June 1944, the flotilla was assigned to sweep one of the beaches during the Normandy landings until she struck a mine the following month. After her repairs were completed, Pelorus was reassigned to the English Channel and the 6th Minesweeping Flotilla. The flotilla was transferred to the Indian Ocean in 1945 and spent some time escorting convoys. They participated in Operation Collie, a bombardment of Japanese positions in the Nicobar Islands, in July and then swept the Strait of Malacca and the approaches to Singapore in August.

<i>Almirante Brown</i>-class destroyer

The Almirante Brown class is a class of warships built for the Argentine Navy. They were commissioned between 1983 and 1984, after the Falklands War. The class comprises four ships; Almirante Brown, La Argentina, Heroína and Sarandí. They are classified as either frigates or destroyers by different publications. The MEKO 360 type warships are based on modular designs which allow quick changes to the vessel's armaments depending on mission requirements. The modular nature of the construction also allows the ships to be modernized or refitted with greater ease. Six vessels were initially ordered, however two ships were cancelled and replaced with orders for MEKO 140 type hulls.

<i>Vidar</i>-class minelayer Norwegian-built minelayers

The Vidar-class minelayers consists of the two ships, HNoMS Vidar and HNoMS Vale built by Mjellem & Karlsen in Bergen for the Royal Norwegian Navy in 1977 and 1978. Used as multi-role ships, the Vidar class were tasked with minelaying, personnel/cargo transport, fisheries protection, torpedo-recovery ships and as anti-submarine warfare escorts in Norwegian service. In 2003, Vale was transferred to the Latvian Navy via donation and renamed Virsaitis and used as a flagship and tender to patrol craft. In 2006, Vidar was transferred to the Lithuanian Navy and renamed Jotvingis and served as flagship and tender to mine countermeasures craft. Both vessels had their ASW equipment removed upon transfer.

<i>Kortenaer</i>-class frigate

The Kortenaer class was a class of anti-submarine frigates of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Like other frigate types of the 1970s and 1980s, they featured a COGOG propulsion system with separate cruise and sprint gas turbines. Ten were built by De Schelde in Vlissingen and two by Wilton-Fijenoord in Schiedam between 1978 and 1982. Only ten served with the Royal Netherlands Navy: two were sold to Greece's Navy while still under construction and replaced by two Jacob van Heemskerck-class frigates which were an air defence variant of the Kortenaer class. The Greek frigates were renamed the Elli class. After service with the Dutch ended, eight of the frigates were sold to Greece in 1992 and the remaining two to the United Arab Emirates. Three of the ships have since been retired from active military service with one converted into the superyacht Yas.

<i>Cheng Kung</i>-class frigate

The Cheng Kung-class frigates are eight guided-missile frigates in service in the Republic of China Navy (ROCN). They are based upon the U.S. Oliver Hazard Perry class and built by China Shipbuilding Corporation in Kaohsiung, Taiwan under license throughout the 1990s as part of the Kuang Hua I project. These frigates served as the mainstay of the ROCN's area air defense capability prior to the acquisition of the Keelung (Kidd)-class destroyers in 2005. They are designated with the hull classification PFG rather than FFG used by the Oliver Hazard Perry class.

Tripartite-class minehunter Ship class of minehunters

The Tripartite class is a class of minehunters developed from an agreement between the navies of Belgium, France and the Netherlands. A total of 35 ships were constructed for the three navies. The class was constructed in the 1980s–1990s in all three countries, using a mix of minehunting, electrical and propulsion systems from the three member nations. In France, where they are known as the Éridan class they are primarily used as minehunters, but have been used for minesweeping and ammunition transport in Belgium and the Netherlands, where the Tripartites are known as the Alkmaar class.

MEKO 360

The MEKO 360 is a class of five ships built in Germany for the Argentine and Nigerian navies. The MEKO 360 was the first version of the MEKO family of vessels built by Blohm und Voss. The type comes in two variants, the MEKO 360H1, comprising one ship, and the MEKO 360H2, comprising four ships. The alternatively classed as frigates and destroyers by different sources. The design is based on the modular concept which allows swapping out different armaments to fit mission requirements and allows easier application of upgrades and refits.

NNS <i>Aradu</i> Nigerian frigate

NNS Aradu (F89) is a Nigerian frigate. She is the first of the MEKO 360 general purpose frigates built by the German Blohm + Voss company of Hamburg. The 125.6-metre ship is the largest in the Nigerian Navy. As a general purpose frigate, Aradu has capabilities for anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare effectively, and participated in the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Trafalgar. The ship also possesses capability for naval fire support and electronic warfare. Additionally, she carries a ship-borne helicopter for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and enhanced surveillance/detection.

Kuha-class minesweeper (1974)

The Kuha-class minesweepers is a series of six inshore minesweepers of the Finnish Navy. The ships were constructed in 1974–1975. All the vessels of the class were modified and modernized in the late 1990s, including a lengthening of the hull. Two of the class were withdrawn from service in 2012. The rest of the class will be retired with the entry into service of the Katanpää-class mine countermeasure vessels.

Poti-class corvette

The Poti class was the NATO reporting name for a group of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvettes built for the Soviet Navy. The Soviet designation was Project 204 small anti-submarine ships. These ships were the first Soviet warships powered by gas turbine engines; two propellers were mounted in tunnels to give a very shallow draught. A twin 57 mm (2 in) gun mounting provided self-defence. Three ships of the class were exported to Romania and six to Bulgaria during the Cold War. By 2008, all ships of the class were no longer extant.

Don-class submarine tender

The Don-class submarine tender was the NATO reporting name for a group of seven submarine tenders built for the Soviet Navy in the late 1950s. The Soviet designation was Project 310 Batur. Evolving from a need for dispersed basing of submarines in the advent of a nuclear war, the ships were designed to support distant operations of the Soviet Union's submarine fleet, capable of repairing and resupplying. However, the Soviets returned to stationary basing of their submarines and the Don class were later converted into flagships. One vessel was exported to Indonesia in 1962 and due to the ship's heavy armament, was used primarily for patrol duties. The ships of the Don class were removed from service in the mid 1990s and broken up for scrap.

<i>Miura</i>-class tank landing ship

The Miura-class landing ship tank is a class of three tank landing ships (LSTs) that served with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) from 1975 to 2002. They were primarily deployed for logistic support but were also be used to carry heavy construction equipment such as trenchers.

HNoMS <i>Oslo</i> (F300)

HNoMS Oslo was an Oslo-class frigate of the Royal Norwegian Navy. The frigate was launched on 17 January 1964, and commissioned on 29 January 1968. Oslo ran aground near Marstein Island on 24 January 1994. One officer was killed in the incident. The next day, on 25 January, she was taken under tow. However as the situation deteriorated, the tow was let go and the frigate sank.

<i>Lindormen</i>-class minelayer Class of minelayers

The Lindormen class is a class of two minelayers built for the Royal Danish Navy to replace the Lougen-class minelayers that dated from World War II. The Lindormen class was designed to lay controlled controlled minefields in the Baltic Sea during the Cold War as part of NATO's defence plan for the region. They were taken out of service by the Danish in 2004, put up for sale in 2005 and transferred to Estonia in 2006.

<i>Atsumi</i>-class tank landing ship

The Atsumi-class landing ship tank is a class of three tank landing ships (LSTs) that served with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) from 1972 to 2005. They were primarily deployed for logistic support but were also be used to carry heavy construction equipment such as trenchers.

References