mlv CASTOR 2008~9

Castor werd in 1950 opgeleverd door de scheepswerf van Gebroeders Pot te Bolnes, Rotterdam. De Koninklijke Marine gaf haar het pennant A810, en het Loodswezen gaf haar de naam Castor, naar de ster welke sinds jaar en dag wordt gebruikt bij astronomische navigatie op zee.

Het Marine – LoodsVaartuig CASTOR ofwel MLV CASTOR

Castor was built in 1950 by order of the Dutch Ministry of Defense, which was then called the War Ministry.

As international trade increased significantly after World War II, more and larger ships came not only to the ports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam, but also smaller ones like Delfzijl up in the north. In response, a considerable number of Pilot Boats were ordered and commissioned by the Dutch Government. Castor spent most of her life as a Pilot Boat.

The Netherlands wanted to be one of the members of NATO. But money was tight in those days. Therefore the role of the Castor had to be two-fold. She was designed as both a Pilot Boat and also a Navy ship. She was commissioned by the Royal Netherlands Navy (pennant A810) and armed with a 3″/76 mm cannon on her foredeck. She would fire upon hostile vessels approaching the Dutch territorial waters uninvited. If required, Castor could be outfitted with an impressive array of additional armament; 2x 20mm Oerlikons, 2x 40 mm Bofors and even 2 depth charges.

Even more fascinating, the Castor‘s official wartime role was to facilitate the evacuation of the Dutch Royal family and/or the Dutch cabinet in case of (or increased risk of) a nuclear war and/or act as a ‘communications vessel’ for Atlantic convoys