Damen Delivers Electric Patrol Boats to Amsterdam
Damen Shipyards Group has delivered two new zero-emission vessels to the City of Amsterdam, expanding the municipality’s fleet of electric patrol vessels operating across its urban canal network.
Expanded Fleet for Waterway Enforcement
On 7 September, the two Patrol Vessels 1304 Electric, named Waterbuffel and Waterrietzanger, were officially handed over during a ceremony at Amsterdam’s Maritime Museum attended by Deputy Mayor Elise Moeskops. The vessels’ contract was signed on 18 April after a competitive tender process.
Amsterdam’s Toezicht en Handhaving Openbare Ruimte (THOR) division operates the craft and is responsible for municipal patrol boats, monitoring canal traffic, enforcing local navigation and speed limits, and inspecting permits for docked vessels.
This delivery marks the third order of Patrol Vessels 1304 Electric that Damen Shipyards has supplied to the city. Damen previously delivered two vessels in 2021 (Waterpieper and Waterhoen, alongside police craft P55) and two in 2023 (Watersnip and Watertrapper). The new additions bring the city’s total to six electric patrol vessels of this model.
Vessel Specifications and Environmental Impact
The 13.4-meter zero-emission vessels feature a single 130-kW electric motor powered by a 273-kWh battery pack. Capable of reaching top speeds of 16 km/h, each vessel can operate for a full day on a single charge at average operational speeds.
Damen Shipyards Kozle in Poland constructed the hulls before Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld in the Netherlands outfitted them. The electric propulsion system provides quiet, zero-emission operation, minimising noise pollution and environmental impact across Amsterdam harbour craft routes and residential canal waterways.
Adding zero-emission municipal patrol boats allows local authorities to maintain constant oversight of high-density urban waterways while aligning with regional sustainability goals. For harbour craft operators and municipal fleets, the successful deployment of full-day battery propulsion demonstrates the viability of electric patrol vessels in heavy urban maritime service.
