A proud moment in the history of Holland Shipyards Group: during an official signing ceremony, we sealed our first-ever contract with the Dutch Ministry of Defence.

Under this agreement, we will construct two advanced floating training platforms, Uhlenbeck and Thetis, designed to support a wide range of maritime training operations for Defence personnel. The contract also includes a 15-year maintenance period, highlighting the long-term collaboration and trust between both parties.

Two unique platforms, one mission: readiness

Both Uhlenbeck and Thetis are concrete structures built on pontoons and will be moored in Den Helder, serving as next-generation training facilities.

Uhlenbeck: practical dive operations and training

The Uhlenbeck platform (60 x 13.8 m) is tailored to provide operational dive training. It features:

• A robust concrete pontoon with technical installations and storage below deck
• A working deck with two knuckle-boom cranes for boat handling and lifting operations
• Boat storage and maintenance areas, including a workshop, protosorb room and mezzanine
• Instructional spaces including decompression and assembly rooms

Thetis: full-scale tactical and simulation training

The larger Thetis platform (64 x 16 m) offers an extensive training environment across five decks, including:

• Changing rooms and gear storage for diving units
• Facilities for rinsing and drying dive equipment
• Control room and briefing areas for mission simulations
• Training setups for maritime boarding, underwater approaches, helicopter hoisting and fast-roping
• Direct connection to the Uhlenbeck platform for integrated operations

Built in partnership

This project is being realised in a strong consoritum alongside: De Vries Werkendam, DWT Group, DMI-KBW, Antea Group and Royal Haskoning BV.

Ready for the future

These platforms are designed to serve both current and future needs for Defence training, with durability, adaptability, and operational performance at their core.

For Holland Shipyards Group, this contract represents more than a project: it’s a milestone. As a shipyard known for tackling complex and specialised builds, we’re honoured to support the Netherlands’ Defence capabilities with innovative, mission-driven infrastructure.

Here’s to a successful collaboration and continued excellence in maritime training and readiness.