The ship was initially armed with two twin-mounted Bofors 40-millimetre (1.6 in) guns located fore and aft. Godetia had a complement of 100 with accommodation for an additional 35 personnel.[1] The vessel has a large central hold serviced by a single crane.[2] The ship was equipped with royal apartments for the monarch of Belgium.[1] The ship has passive tank stabilisation and closed-circuit ventilation. It could accommodate oceanographic research personnel and had laboratory space.[3]
Refitsedit
A refit in the late 1960s saw the aft 40 mm gun mount removed and the first level of the superstructure extended aft to create a landing pad for use by a light helicopter. Furthermore, reels of minesweeping cable were placed to either side of the landing pad.[2] A refit in 1979–1980 saw the foremost cable reel removed and replaced with a deckhouse. The remaining twin 40 mm gun mount was removed and a single 40 mm gun mount was installed along with four twin 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine gun mounts.[2]Godetia underwent a mid-life refit in 1981–1982 which increased the ship's displacement to 2,000 tonnes (2,000 long tons) standard and 2,500 tonnes (2,500 long tons) fully loaded. The helicopter deck was extended further aft to allow Alouette III helicopters to continue to land as the fore part of the deck was used to store minesweeping cable drums.[4] Furthermore, a hangar was fitted in front of the landing pad and the crane was replaced.[5] The four twin 12.7 mm mounts were removed in 1983.[6] Six single 12.7 mm guns were later installed aboard the ship.[3] The ship was refitted again in 2006 and 2009, with the minesweeping cables removed, a mine avoidance sonar installed.[7] The complement changed to 8 officers, 84 enlisted personnel and up to 40 cadets.[3]
Construction and careeredit
Godetia officers and crew visiting the United Kingdom (1970s–1980s)
The ship was constructed by Boelwerf in Temse, the first of two logistics ships ordered by Belgium to replace the ageing Kamina, which had transferred to the Belgian Navy after being seized after World War II from the Germans.[8] The logistics vessel was laid down on 15 February 1965, launched on 7 December 1965 and commissioned into the Belgian Naval Component on 2 June 1966.[1]Godetia is the second naval ship named for the flower operated by Belgians after HMS Godetia, a British Flower-classcorvette which was crewed by Belgian sailors during World War II. The ship's main mission was to provide logistic support to Belgium and its allies' fleet of minesweepers.[2] However, the ship was later re-designated a mine countermeasures support ship and also used for training and fisheries protection.[3]
Godetia served with NATO's Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1) in 2007 in the Baltic and North seas,[9] and became the flagship of the unit in 2018.[10] In May–June 2015 Godetia was a part of the European Union's Triton operation, enforcing the maritime border in the Mediterranean Sea.[11] In May, the ship recovered 200 migrants from a boat adrift in the Mediterranean after the boat's engine failed. Then in June a further 103 migrants were saved from an overloaded boat and brought to Italy for care.[12] In 2021, Godetia rejoined SNMCMG1 for a final mission before being withdrawn from service on 26 June 2021.[13][14] Belgium has no plans to replace the vessel.[14]
^"NATO Warships Keep the Seabed Clean". Maritime Journal. 1 May 2007. from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
^"BNS Godetia becomes NATO SNMCMG1 flagship". Naval Today. 25 July 2018. from the original on 2018-07-25. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
^"Flow of migrants from Libya to continue: EU border agency". Yahoo! News. Agence France-Presse. 19 June 2015. from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
^"Belgian ship rescues 130 from overcrowded boat". flandersnews.be. 3 June 2015. from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
^"Une dernière mission de six mois pour le Godetia avant son retrait du service". defencebelgium.com (in French). 18 January 2021. from the original on 2021-01-19. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
^ ab"La Marine a dit adieu au Godetia après plus de 50 années de service". defencebelgium.com (in French). 26 June 2021. from the original on 2021-06-26. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
Referencesedit
Couhat, Jean Labayle, ed. (1986). Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-85368-860-5.
Blackman, Raymond V. B., ed. (1967). Jane's Fighting Ships 1967–68. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. OCLC 28197955.
Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-132-7.
Richardson, Ian (May 2022). "The Belgian Navy Command and Support Ship BNS Godetia". Marine News Supplement: Warships. 76 (5): S258–S260. ISSN 0966-6958.
Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009–2010 (112 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN0-7106-2888-9.
Sharpe, Richard, ed. (1990). Jane's Fighting Ships 1990–91 (93 ed.). Surrey, United Kingdom: Jane's Information Group. ISBN0-7106-0904-3.
Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2013). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World (16th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN9-7-815911-4954-5.
External linksedit
Media related to A960 Godetia (ship, 1966) at Wikimedia Commons
Section of the website of the Belgian Ministry of Defence about A960 Godetia
May 02, 2024
belgian, ship, godetia, godetia, a960, command, logistical, support, ship, belgian, naval, component, launched, december, 1965, boelwerf, temse, entered, service, june, 1966, patronage, godetia, accepted, city, ostend, first, support, ships, acquired, replace,. Godetia A960 was a command and logistical support ship of the Belgian Naval Component launched on 7 December 1965 at the Boelwerf in Temse and entered service on 2 June 1966 The patronage of Godetia was accepted by the city of Ostend She was the first of two support ships acquired to replace World War II era ships Used primarily to provide logistic support to Belgium s fleet of minesweepers Godetia has also seen service as a training ship royal yacht and fisheries protection The vessel has served with NATO s Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 in the Baltic and North seas In June 2021 Godetia was taken out of service GodetiaHistory Belgium NameGodetia BuilderBoelwerf Temse Laid down15 February 1965 Launched7 December 1965 Commissioned2 June 1966 Decommissioned26 June 2021 HomeportZeebrugge Naval Base IdentificationPennant number A 960 MMSI number 205204000 Callsign ORJH StatusDecommissioned General characteristics TypeCommand and logistical support ship Displacement2 000 t 2 000 long tons standard 2 500 t 2 500 long tons fully loaded Length91 83 m 301 ft 3 in Beam14 00 m 45 ft 11 in Draught3 50 m 11 ft 6 in Installed power4 ACEC MAN diesel engines 4 000 kW 5 400 bhp Propulsion2 shafts controllable pitch propellers Speed19 knots 35 km h 22 mph Range6 000 nmi 11 000 km 6 900 mi at 15 knots 28 km h 17 mph Complement96 Armament6 single 12 7 mm 0 50 in machine guns Aircraft carried1 helicopter Aviation facilitiesHelipad Godetia entering Portsmouth Naval Base UK on 9 July 2010 Godetia Ship Crest Contents 1 Description 1 1 Refits 2 Construction and career 3 Citations 4 References 5 External linksDescription editGodetia was designed as a command and logistical support ship and measured 92 m 301 ft long overall and 88 metres 289 ft at the waterline with a beam of 14 metres 46 ft and a draught of 3 48 metres 11 ft 5 in The ship had a light displacement of 1 700 tonnes 1 700 long tons and 2 300 t 2 300 long tons at full load The ship was powered by four ACEC MAN diesel engines turning two shafts with controllable pitch propellers creating 4 000 kilowatts 5 400 bhp Godetia had a maximum speed of 19 knots 35 km h 22 mph and a range of 6 000 nautical miles 11 000 km 6 900 mi at 15 knots 28 km h 17 mph 1 The ship was initially armed with two twin mounted Bofors 40 millimetre 1 6 in guns located fore and aft Godetia had a complement of 100 with accommodation for an additional 35 personnel 1 The vessel has a large central hold serviced by a single crane 2 The ship was equipped with royal apartments for the monarch of Belgium 1 The ship has passive tank stabilisation and closed circuit ventilation It could accommodate oceanographic research personnel and had laboratory space 3 Refits edit A refit in the late 1960s saw the aft 40 mm gun mount removed and the first level of the superstructure extended aft to create a landing pad for use by a light helicopter Furthermore reels of minesweeping cable were placed to either side of the landing pad 2 A refit in 1979 1980 saw the foremost cable reel removed and replaced with a deckhouse The remaining twin 40 mm gun mount was removed and a single 40 mm gun mount was installed along with four twin 12 7 mm 0 50 in machine gun mounts 2 Godetia underwent a mid life refit in 1981 1982 which increased the ship s displacement to 2 000 tonnes 2 000 long tons standard and 2 500 tonnes 2 500 long tons fully loaded The helicopter deck was extended further aft to allow Alouette III helicopters to continue to land as the fore part of the deck was used to store minesweeping cable drums 4 Furthermore a hangar was fitted in front of the landing pad and the crane was replaced 5 The four twin 12 7 mm mounts were removed in 1983 6 Six single 12 7 mm guns were later installed aboard the ship 3 The ship was refitted again in 2006 and 2009 with the minesweeping cables removed a mine avoidance sonar installed 7 The complement changed to 8 officers 84 enlisted personnel and up to 40 cadets 3 Construction and career edit nbsp Godetia officers and crew visiting the United Kingdom 1970s 1980s The ship was constructed by Boelwerf in Temse the first of two logistics ships ordered by Belgium to replace the ageing Kamina which had transferred to the Belgian Navy after being seized after World War II from the Germans 8 The logistics vessel was laid down on 15 February 1965 launched on 7 December 1965 and commissioned into the Belgian Naval Component on 2 June 1966 1 Godetia is the second naval ship named for the flower operated by Belgians after HMS Godetia a British Flower class corvette which was crewed by Belgian sailors during World War II The ship s main mission was to provide logistic support to Belgium and its allies fleet of minesweepers 2 However the ship was later re designated a mine countermeasures support ship and also used for training and fisheries protection 3 Godetia served with NATO s Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 SNMCMG1 in 2007 in the Baltic and North seas 9 and became the flagship of the unit in 2018 10 In May June 2015 Godetia was a part of the European Union s Triton operation enforcing the maritime border in the Mediterranean Sea 11 In May the ship recovered 200 migrants from a boat adrift in the Mediterranean after the boat s engine failed Then in June a further 103 migrants were saved from an overloaded boat and brought to Italy for care 12 In 2021 Godetia rejoined SNMCMG1 for a final mission before being withdrawn from service on 26 June 2021 13 14 Belgium has no plans to replace the vessel 14 Citations edit a b c d Blackman 1967 p 20 a b c d Gardiner Chumbley amp Budzbon 1995 p 28 a b c d Wertheim 2013 p 48 Wertheim 2013 p 13 Sharpe 1990 p 47 Couhat 1986 p 28 Saunders 2009 p 65 Gardiner Chumbley amp Budzbon 1995 pp 24 28 NATO Warships Keep the Seabed Clean Maritime Journal 1 May 2007 Archived from the original on 2021 07 09 Retrieved 5 July 2021 BNS Godetia becomes NATO SNMCMG1 flagship Naval Today 25 July 2018 Archived from the original on 2018 07 25 Retrieved 5 July 2021 Flow of migrants from Libya to continue EU border agency Yahoo News Agence France Presse 19 June 2015 Archived from the original on 2021 07 09 Retrieved 7 May 2021 Belgian ship rescues 130 from overcrowded boat flandersnews be 3 June 2015 Archived from the original on 2021 07 09 Retrieved 5 July 2021 Une derniere mission de six mois pour le Godetia avant son retrait du service defencebelgium com in French 18 January 2021 Archived from the original on 2021 01 19 Retrieved 5 July 2021 a b La Marine a dit adieu au Godetia apres plus de 50 annees de service defencebelgium com in French 26 June 2021 Archived from the original on 2021 06 26 Retrieved 5 July 2021 References editCouhat Jean Labayle ed 1986 Combat Fleets of the World 1986 87 Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 85368 860 5 Blackman Raymond V B ed 1967 Jane s Fighting Ships 1967 68 London Sampson Low Marston amp Co OCLC 28197955 Gardiner Robert Chumbley Stephen amp Budzbon Przemyslaw eds 1995 Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1947 1995 Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 132 7 Richardson Ian May 2022 The Belgian Navy Command and Support Ship BNS Godetia Marine News Supplement Warships 76 5 S258 S260 ISSN 0966 6958 Saunders Stephen ed 2009 Jane s Fighting Ships 2009 2010 112 ed Alexandria Virginia Jane s Information Group Inc ISBN 0 7106 2888 9 Sharpe Richard ed 1990 Jane s Fighting Ships 1990 91 93 ed Surrey United Kingdom Jane s Information Group ISBN 0 7106 0904 3 Wertheim Eric ed 2013 The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 16th ed Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 9 7 815911 4954 5 External links edit nbsp Media related to A960 Godetia ship 1966 at Wikimedia Commons Section of the website of the Belgian Ministry of Defence about A960 Godetia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Belgian ship Godetia amp oldid 1149958352, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
