The last remaining tug of Linge class of the Royal Netherlands Navy is the 1997 built tug HNLMS GOUWE A 878. The Linge Class was used at the Nieuwe Haven Naval Base to assist naval units but in 1994 it was decided that these ships were not capable enough anymore to handle the newer larger vessels like HNLMS KAREL DOORMAN with the first four tugs to be replaced by three Damen built hybrid tugboats, the Noordzee class.
Her hull was launched in 1996 at the Delta Shipyard in Sliedrecht under yard number 963 and completed by Scheepswerf Made BV in Made ( North Brabant ) under yard number 96.016. On 17th January 1997 she was handed over to the Royal Netherlands Navy at Den Helder Navy Base.
She’s 27.45 m long (loa) with 8.30 m beam and a draft of 3.80 m. She has 2 x 8-cyl. Caterpillar 3507 (816hp each at 1300rpm) with speed of 12.7 knots and bollard pull of 22 tons.
Like her four sister ships from the Linge class, named after a five-letter Dutch river ending in a ‘ e ’. So in her case to the channeled river Gouwe in South Holland.
