The Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM) has marked the start of construction of the first of 13 new all-weather rescue boats with a keel-laying ceremony held recenrtly in Makkum.
Prins Johan Friso is the lead vessel of the series, which will comprise lifeboats each measuring more than 19 metres long. Dok and Scheepsbouw Woudsend is building the series, with initial hull sections of the first boat being assembled at Bloemsma Aluminiumbouw in Makkum.
KNRM ordered the 13 boats in November 2025 in what was the largest single shipyard order in its history.
Eleven boats will be assigned to stations at Eemshaven, Schiermonnikoog, Ameland, Terschelling, Vlieland, Den Helder, Scheveningen, Hoek van Holland, Stellendam, Neeltje Jans, and Breskens. The remaining two will form a reserve to cover for station boats withdrawn for maintenance.
Prins Johan Friso is one of the two reserve vessels.
The organisation said at the time of the order that a large part of its existing rescue fleet dated from 1991 onwards and was generating increasing maintenance costs and a rising risk of unavailability.
The new design was developed from 2021 by naval architects at Gaastmeer Design with Maritime Research Institute Netherlands and representatives of volunteer crews.
KNRM said the boat will also be capable of self-righting.
The new series forms part of KNRM's plan to renew its entire 75-boat fleet by 2035 at a cost of €120 million (US$130 million). The organisation said almost 70 per cent of that sum has been pledged by donors and benefactors, with the remainder still to be raised.
