MEDIA ALERT
CONTACT:
Laura Stevenson, Sail Baltimore, 410-522-7300, laura@sailbaltimore.org
Carla Bundy, Royal Netherlands Embassy, 202-274-2632, cy.bundy@minbuza.nl
May 13, 2005

Royal Netherlands Navy Frigate HNLMS Tromp to Make First Visit to United States Media Invited to Tour Ship

Baltimore, MD -HNLMS Tromp of the Royal Netherlands Navy will visit Baltimore, Maryland and Norfolk, Virginia from May 19 through May 25, 2005. While in Baltimore, this magnificent ship will be docked at Fells Point, Broadway Pier and hosted by Sail Baltimore, the non-profit organization that operates as the city of Baltimore's Official Committee for Visiting Ships. The visit by the HNLMS Tromp marks the first visit ever to the United States by a ship of the class of destroyer-sized combatant designed and built by the Royal Netherlands Navy.

Members of the media are invited to take a breakfast tour and meet the Commanding Officer and crew of the HNLMS Tromp on Friday, May 20th from 8am to 9:45am. Media interested in this tour must respond by May 18th to Carla Bundy. Media should meet at Broadway Pier, Fells Point. More details about the ship, the visit and the location of Broadway Pier can be found on www.netherlands-embassy.org/tromp

HNLMS Tromp is one of four De "Zeven Provincien" Class Air Defense and Command frigates for the Royal Netherlands Navy, built by Royal Schelde at its shipyard in Flushing, The Netherlands. It measures 480 feet and has a displacement of 6,200 tons. Commissioned in 2003, the Tromp displays a futuristic stealth profile and Active Phased Array Radar. Like a number of other navies in the NATO Alliance, the Royal Netherlands Navy is being transformed from a navy mainly focused on Anti Submarine Warfare in the Atlantic Ocean to a far more deployable and expeditionary Maritime Force, highly suited to operate worldwide both in deep waters as in the littoral. The primary task of the Tromp is to provide local area air defense against airborne targets for a task group, and to provide the task group with dedicated command facilities.

The main tasks of the Royal Netherlands Navy (with 16,000 military and civilian personnel and 28 frigates, support ships and mine hunters) are to protect Dutch territory and that of its allies including the territory of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, upholding the international legal order and respect for human rights, and providing support to civil authorities regarding law enforcement, disaster relief and humanitarian aid, both at home and abroad.

The Tromp arrives in the United States from Montreal, Canada where it participated in celebrations for the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War II.The Tromp, with Captain Jankees Trimpe Burger as Commanding Officer, carries a maximum crew of 202, including flag staff and 32 officers. During the visit, the ship will host a reception and a number of tours (by invitation only) for local dignitaries, US Defense and Navy authorities, foreign military attachés, and US Defense industries. Defense industries from the Netherlands and their American affiliates will be present to inform the audience about the capabilities of their products. Local school students and Sea Cadets have also been invited for a tour of the ship.

The Tromp will arrive in Baltimore on Thursday, May 19th at 9:00 am at Fells Point. A public welcome ceremony will take place alongside the ship in Fells Point at 11:30 am. The ship will then be open to the general public for free tours (outside decks only) as follows:

• Saturday, May 21 1:30pm-4:00pm
• Sunday, May 22 1:30pm-4:00pm