View source for Balder-class patrol vessel

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= File:Patrouillenboot HADDA (P 805, niederl.) und Patrouillenboot HEFRING (P 806, niederl.) zur Kieler Woche 1972 (Kiel 53.320).jpg
|Ship caption=''Hadda'' and ''Hefring''
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Name = ''Balder'' class
| Builders = [[Willemsoord, Den Helder#Rijkswerf Willemsoord|Rijkswerf Willemsoord]], [[Den Helder]]
| Operators = {{navy|Netherlands}}
| Class before = 
| Class after = 
| Subclasses = 
| Cost = 
| Built range = 1953-1955
| In commission range = 1954-1986<ref>Schoonoord (2012), p. 320.</ref>
| Total ships building = 
| Total ships planned = 16
| Total ships completed = 5
| Total ships cancelled = 11
| Total ships active = 
| Total ships laid up = 
| Total ships lost = 
| Total ships retired = 
| Total ships scrapped = 
| Total ships preserved = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics 
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = <ref>van Amstel (1991), p. 43.</ref>
| Ship type = [[Patrol vessel]]
| Ship displacement = {{cvt|169|t|LT}}
| Ship length = {{cvt|36.3|m|ftin}}
| Ship beam = {{cvt|6.2|m|ftin}}
| Ship height = 
| Ship draught = 
| Ship draft = {{convert|1.9|m|ftin}}
| Ship decks = 
| Ship deck clearance = 
| Ship ramps = 
| Ship ice class = 
| Ship power = 
| Ship propulsion = *2 propellers
*{{cvt|1300|hp}}
*[[Diesel engine]]s
| Ship speed = {{convert|15.5|kn}}
| Ship range = 
| Ship endurance = 
| Ship boats = 
| Ship capacity = 
| Ship troops = 
| Ship complement = 
| Ship crew = 27
| Ship time to activate = 
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = *1 x 40 mm [[machine gun]]
*3 x 20 mm machine guns
*2 x [[Depth charge]] racks
*2 x Depth charge throwers
*3 x Depth charge chutes
| Ship armour = 
| Ship aircraft = 
| Ship aircraft facilities = 
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

The '''''Balder''-class''' patrol vessels were a class of five patrol vessels built for the [[Royal Netherlands Navy]] in the 1950s at the [[Willemsoord, Den Helder#Rijkswerf Willemsoord|Rijkswerf in Willemsoord]], [[Den Helder]].<ref name="Parool1954">{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=3 August 1954 |title= Patrouille-vaartuig wordt overgedragen |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010834908:mpeg21:a0181 |work=[[Het Parool]]| language=Dutch|location= |access-date=}}</ref> They were paid for by the United States under the [[Mutual Defense Assistance Act|Mutual Defense Assistance Program]] (MDAP).<ref name="Trouw1954">{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=3 August 1954 |title=Patrouillevaartuig ,Balder' wordt overgedragen |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010818654:mpeg21:a0066 |work=[[Trouw]]| language=Dutch|location= |access-date=}}</ref><ref name="Raven127">Raven (1988), p. 127.</ref> The ships were used to patrol the Dutch coast and waterways.<ref name="Woudstra196">Woudstra (1982), p. 196.</ref>

== History ==
The construction of the ''Balder''-class patrol vessels was paid for by the United States under the [[Mutual Defense Assistance Act|Mutual Defense Assistance Program]] (MDAP).<ref name="Trouw1954" /><ref name="Raven127" /> Initially the Netherlands wanted to build 16 ships, but since the United States only wanted to pay for the construction of a maximum of five ships it was decided to only build five ships.<ref>Schoonoord (2012), p. 58.</ref> The five ships of the ''Balder''-class were constructed at the [[Willemsoord, Den Helder#Rijkswerf Willemsoord|Rijkswerf in Willemsoord]], Den Helder.<ref name="Roetering136">Roetering (1997), p. 136.</ref><ref name="Parool1954" />

== Service history ==
The ''Balder''-class vessels were used to patrol the Dutch coast and waterways.<ref name="Amstel42">van Amstel (1991), p. 42.</ref> Furthermore, they were also used to inspect fishing vessels and enforce fishing rules and laws in Dutch territorial waters.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=15 January 1987 |title= Marine zet controle van visserijvloot op lager pitje |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010566244:mpeg21:a0156 |work=[[Leeuwarder Courant]]| language=Dutch|location= |access-date=}}</ref><ref name="Roetering136" /> In wartime the ships could escort small convoys near the Dutch coast.<ref name="Woudstra196" /> After the retirement of the ''Balder''-class patrol vessels in the 1980s most tasks related to the inspection of fishing vessels and enforcement of fishing rules and laws was transferred from the Royal Netherlands Navy to the newly established [[Netherlands Coastguard]].<ref>{{cite news |author= Arnold Burlage |date=15 January 1987 |title= Geen geschikte schepen meer voor controle: Marine stopt met visserij-inspectie |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011207402:mpeg21:p006 |work=[[De Telegraaf]]| language=Dutch|location= |access-date=}}</ref><ref name="Amstel42" />

== Ships in class ==
The vessels in this class were named after the [[Æsir|gods]] in [[Norse mythology]].<ref name="Woudstra196" />
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%;"
|+  ''Balder''-class construction data<ref>van Amstel (1991), pp.  43-44.</ref><ref>van Amstel (1991), p. 139.</ref>
|-
! Ship
! Pennant No.
! width="90" |Laid down
! width="90" |Launched
! width="90" |Commissioned
! width="90" |Decommissioned
! Fate
|-
| {{HNLMS|Balder|P802|2}}
| P802
| 12 September 1953
| 24 February 1954
| 6 August 1954
| 1 January 1985
| Sold for scrap in 1985 to Simmeren Schroot B.V.
|-
| {{HNLMS|Bulgia|P803|2}}
| P803
| 10 October 1953
| 24 April 1954
| 9 August 1954
| 
|  Between 1986 and 1996 the ''Bulgia'' was used as [[training ship]] by the [[Royal Naval College (Netherlands)|Koninklijk Instituut voor de Marine (KIM)]].<ref name="Roetering136" />
|-
| {{HNLMS|Freyr|P804|2}}
| P804
| 24 February 1954
| 21 July 1954
| 1 December 1954
| 28 November 1986
| Loaned to ZKK Gouda in 1987.
|-
| {{HNLMS|Hadda|P805|2}}
| P805
| 24 April 1954
| 2 October 1954
| 3 February 1955
| 
| Sold for scrap in 1990 to the firm Westmetaal.
|-
| {{HNLMS|Hefring|P806|2}}
| P806
| 21 July 1954
| 1 December 1954
| 23 March 1955
| 1 January 1985
| Sold for scrap in 1985 in Groningen.
|-
|}

==Notes==
===Citations===
{{reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book |last=Schoonoord |first=D.C.L. |date=2012 |title=Pugno pro patria: de Koninklijke Marine tijdens de Koude Oorlog |language=Dutch|edition= |url= |location=Franeker |publisher=Van Wijnen |page= |isbn=978-90-5194-455-6}}
*{{cite book |last=van Amstel |first=W.H.E. |date=1991 |title=De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine vanaf 1945 |language=Dutch|edition= |url= |location=Alkmaar |publisher=De Alk |page= |isbn=90-6013-997-6}}
*{{cite book |editor-last=Raven |editor-first=G.J.A. |date=1988 |title=De kroon op het anker: 175 jaar Koninklijke Marine |language=Dutch|edition= |url= |location=Amsterdam |publisher=De Bataafsche Leeuw |page= |isbn=90-6707-200-1}}
*{{cite book |editor-last=Roetering |editor-first=B. |date=1997 |title=Mijnendienst 1907-1997 90 jaar: feiten, verhalen en anekdotes uit het negentigjarig bestaan van de Mijnendienst van de Koninklijke Marine |language=Dutch|edition= |url= |location= |publisher=|page= |isbn=90-90-10528-X}}
* {{cite book |last=Woudstra |first=F.G.A. |date=1982 |title=Onze Koninklijke Marine |language=Dutch|edition= |url= |location=Alkmaar |publisher=De Alk |page= |isbn=90-6013-915-1}}

{{Post1945DutchShips}}

[[Category:Patrol vessels of the Royal Netherlands Navy]]
[[Category:Patrol ship classes]]