The contracts were signed 15 December 2025. TRICA will sail permanently for the Dutch MOD from the handover on 30 May 2026. PLYCA will be available on call from 20 January 2026, with a notice period of 20 days. Each of the ConRo ships can transport up to 300 vehicles, 694 containers, or a combination of both. At present, the Dutch MOD operates the 2,620 lanemetre NEW AMSTERDAM (owned by Finnlines) and the 1,267 lanemetre SOUTHERN ROCK (owned by Hartman Seatrade).

The NEW AMSTERDAM has been leased since 2022 for a period of 10 years and has a capacity comparable to the new vessels. Thanks to this expansion, from the end of May 2026 the Dutch MOD will have the permanently deployable TRICA and the on-call PLYCA from Spliethoff at its disposal. The ships are primarily intended to enable the effective deployment and support of units in the event of a large-scale conflict, but they will also be used to support units in deployment and training areas.

At the Dutch MOD’s request, both TRICA and PLYCA will be fitted with their own shipboard crane, allowing them to load and unload independently of available shore facilities. TRICA will additionally be equipped with so-called “fingers,” enabling the loading ramp to be extended in sections and used at narrower quays. Operation of the vessels is managed through the Defence Support Command at the Dutch military.

© Shippax