Netherlands transfers sixth mine countermeasures vessel to Ukraine—named Henichesk after ship sunk in 2022

Ukraine's Naval Forces received a sixth mine countermeasures vessel from the Netherlands on 15 June, the Alkmaar-class minehunter formerly known as Zr.Ms. Makkum, renamed Henichesk and transferred under the Maritime Capabilities Coalition, Navy commander Vice Admiral Oleksii Neizhpapa announced on Facebook.

All five mine countermeasures vessels now in Ukrainian service were transferred under the Maritime Capabilities Coalition, an international grouping of more than 20 states established in December 2023 at the initiative of the United Kingdom and Norway to rebuild and modernize Ukraine's naval forces for Black Sea security.

A fleet rebuilt from allied transfers

The vessel is named after the raid minesweeper of the same name that was lost while performing a combat mission in 2022, Neizhpapa stated. At the official handover ceremony, Neizhpapa raised the Ukrainian Navy flag on the new ship in the presence of the commanders of the Royal Netherlands Navy, the Royal Belgian Navy, and the navies of Romania, Lithuania, and Latvia.

Henichesk joins four previously transferred vessels: Cherkasy and Chernihiv, both Sandown-class ships from the United Kingdom, and Melitopol and Mariupol, both Alkmaar-class ships from Belgium and the Netherlands. All five vessels will be temporarily based in the United Kingdom until the end of the war.

Vessel design and mine-clearance systems

The primary mission of Alkmaar-class minesweepers is to detect and neutralize naval mines, as well as to protect naval formations in mine-threatened areas. The hulls are built from non-magnetic materials, including polyester-based fiberglass, reducing vulnerability to magnetic mines. The superstructures are made of lightweight alloys. The ships are equipped with a hull-mounted sonar system for detecting underwater objects, as well as remotely operated underwater vehicles for identifying and neutralizing threats.

The primary mine-disposal tool is the SeaFox underwater drone, which identifies and destroys mines using a controlled explosive charge. In complex cases, divers can be deployed for specialized operations.

Black Sea demining and future exercises

Neizhpapa stated that Henichesk will strengthen Ukraine's capabilities in mine countermeasures—searching for, detecting, and neutralizing naval mines. The new ship is expected to participate in the Sea Breeze exercises in 2027. After the war ends, the vessels are planned for large-scale demining operations and for restoring safe navigation in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.