THE BOTTOM – The Zr.Ms. Groningen visited Saba last week. During the visit, the Commander received a tour of the island from Saba’s Governor Jonathan Johnson. They discussed recent developments in and around the island and the region, as well as the positive collaboration with defense.

The Governor and his partner received a tour on board the Groningen and discussed extensively the execution of current Coast Guard duties and counter-drug operations.

The ship was anchored off Saba during the visit, as the harbor is too small to accommodate the nearly 108-meter-long ship. The crew members explored the island and climbed Mount Scenery. Via the well-known steps, they ascended to the highest point of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Cooperation

After the visit, the Zr.Ms. Groningen weighed anchor and resumed its patrol in the Caribbean Sea. The Groningen has been in the Caribbean region since early April 2024. The naval ship is deployed, among other things, for counter-drug operations. This is done alternately in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Caribbean Coast Guard.