Dutch frigate, HNLMS Evertsen’s voyage so far as part of the UK Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21); will arrive in Singapore on 10 October 2021
Evertsen will be on their returning leg as part of their 7 months long deployment.
The Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen will arrive in Singapore tomorrow (10 October 2021) in their first deployment of a Royal Dutch Navy vessel to the region under the Indo-Pacific Guidelines, announced by Netherland in late 2020.
HNLMS Evertsen is part of the Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21) deployment led by the HMS Queen Elizabeth, the first of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers and UK’s flagship. The Dutch vessel departed from Nieuwe Haven Naval Base in the Netherlands on 22 May 2021 and had participated in numerous multi-national exercises.
As part of the fleet, Evertsen had participated in the major NATO exercise Steadfast Defender off the coast of Portugal that included 18 vessel from 11 different nations. The fleet made its first port visit at Gibraltar and then another NATO exercise that includes the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and then a port visit to Istanbul (June 14). Evertsen entered the Black Sea with HMS Defender and HMS Kent on a visit to Odesa, Ukraine (June 18), before Evertsen led the convoy of 30 ships through the Suez Canal and stop at Duqm.
Thereafter, the fleet conducted exercises with the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean, a brief stop in Singapore and then entered the South China Sea on Freedom of Navigation exercises.
Since then, Evertsen had sailed through the Luzon Straits, rested themselves at Guam as a base of operations for a multitude of exercises, like Naval Gun Fire Support exercises. CSG21 then took part in Exercise Noble Union, that see the fleet joining Japanese and US Navy as well as the Large-Scale Global Exercise 2021 that saw the combined exercise of the forces from USA, UK, Australia and Japan.
It is also during this Pacific deployment that we see the one of the most impressive set of naval photos in modern times, that without doubt, is now viral and famous, where 4 aircraft carriers sailing side by side with a huge armada following behind.
On Sept 1, Evertsen arrived in Busan, South Korea and then in Yokosuka, Japan (Sept 5). Evertsen hosted Japan’s Minister of Defense Nobuo Kishi
After leaving Japan, Evertsen and CSG21 was joined by the Japanese and Canadian navy to participated in Exercise Pacific Crown. Evertsen return the Guam after the exercise only to leave for the last time on 26 Sept, as CSG21 rejoined the US Navy and the Japanese Navy in the Philippine Sea.
As part of the press release by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherland wants to reiterate its intention to actively deepen ties with Indo-Pacific partners, such as Singapore. Netherland also cite the importance to uphold international rules-based order through multilateralism based on shared values like freedom of navigation, democracy and human rights.
The participation of HNLMS Evertsen to CSG21 is the physical manifestation of Netherlands’ commitment and willingness to contribute towards the “multilateral endeavors that seek to realize this goal”.
The common geopolitical circumstances, geographic realities and mutual interests, meant that Netherland will continue to strengthen their economic and political ties with Singapore, that includes the signing of Free Trade Agreement via the European Union-Singapore FTA and the efforts to continuously seek to enhance cooperation with nations that share the ideal of inclusive multilateralism.
Evertsen will dock at Changi Naval Base and will depart Singapore on Tuesday, 12 October 2021 to continue their voyage back home.