DSEI 2019: Belgian Navy showcased its coastal patrol vessel BNS Pollux P902.

At DSEI 2019, London, the Belgian navy showcased its coastal patrol vessel BNS Pollux (P902). The CPV is a Ready Duty Ship (RDS) built by Socarenam (Boulogne, France) in 2012 and delivered to the Belgian Navy in 2015 .

The Coastal Patrol Vessel BNS Pollux (P902) (Picture source: Belgian Navy)

The Coastal Patrol Vessel (CPV) is principally used as a "Ready Duty Ship". Ready Duty Ship (RDS) means that for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at least one ship with its 15-strong crew is available for direct intervention within the Belgian areas of the North Sea. As such, a CPV continuously maintains "safety on and off the sea".

The CPV is assisted and managed in its daily tasks by the 'Maritime Information Crossing Point (MIK)" based in Zeebrugge, who supervises all activities within the Belgian areas of the North Sea. MIK is jointly manned by staff drawn from the Maritime Police, Customs & Excise and Defence, and is the heart of maritime law enforcement within the Belgian Coast Guard Organization.

The Ready Duty Ship's task package is very versatile and can be divided into three roles - the purely military tasks, coast guard duties and emergency interventions.

The military tasks include operational duties such as escorting non-NATO warships in the Belgian maritime area, military maritime surveillance, and training missions in support of, or in conjunction with other armed forces. The Coast Guard role is very diverse in nature, complementing activities with Maritime Police Protection Services, DG Environment, and others. Emergency interventions encompass a wide range of situations, from simply assisting a yachtsman in trouble to, in its broadest form, coordinating all government interventions in a complex or substantial maritime disaster.

The one-man bridge vessel is equipped with a secure communication system "ASTRID" which enable the crew to communicate with coast guard partners and the emergency services. The ship has a maximum capacity of 30 persons (15 permanent crew and 15 passengers)and is propulsed by 2 MTU diesel engines with a top speed of 40kts. The Pollux (P902) is armoured with portables weapons and 1 SeadeFNder (stabilized and remote-controlled gun)on the turret made by the Belgian company FN.