The Dutch Submarine HNLMS “Zeeleeuw” in A Coruña

On a courtesy visit and for the rest of its crew, composed of about fifty people, the Dutch submarine HNLMS “Zeeleeuw” (S-803) is on an unofficial visit at the port of A Coruña. Upon arrival, it was assisted by the tugboats “Ibaizábal Doce” and “Sertosa Veintiocho” and will remain docked at the Calvo Sotelo dock until next Tuesday, September 24.

The submarine HNLMS “Zeeleeuw” (sea lion) is the second ship of the Walrus class, in service since April 1990, and it is actually the first of the series, as the one that was supposed to be first suffered a fire during its construction at the Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij shipyard, which prolonged its stay. It conducts naval exercises and military operations wherever required, as well as intelligence tasks, and was modernized between 2014 and 2016.

Weighing 2,350 tons on the surface and 2,650 tons submerged, it measures 68 m in length, 8.5 m in beam, and has a maximum draft of 7.50 m. It can reach a maximum depth of 300 m, and its armament consists of Mark 48 torpedoes and Harpoon missiles. It is powered by a diesel-electric system with a power of 3,132 kW, allowing it to maintain a speed of 13 knots on the surface and 20 knots submerged. At an economical speed of 9 knots, it has a range of 10,000 nautical miles.

Photo: José R. Montero