A high-level Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) delegation visited the Netherlands in April 2026 to discuss the continued maintenance and modernization of the RBDF fleet with its Dutch shipbuilding partner, including three vessels undergoing repairs. The first of those ships, the HMBS Rolly Gray, is due to return to service by the end of the year. Damen, the Dutch shipbuilder, has played a crucial role in upgrading RBDF naval assets for more than a decade. The permanent secretary of The Bahamas Ministry of National Security said the relationship has benefited the Caribbean nation. “Permanent Secretary (Bridget) Hepburn opined that having sat in the discussions and based on the tour of Damen’s facilities, she is confident that the three Royal Bahamas Defence Force vessels are in good command under Damen, and there is no doubt that the refit and repairs to these vessels will meet our expectations. She is looking forward to the first vessel returning to The Bahamas in December 2026,” stated an RBDF news release.
Hepburn was accompanied on the April 21 visit to Damen Shipyards in Gorinchem by RBDF Commodore Floyd P. Moxey, the RBDF’s commander, Engineering Branch Commander Gordon Roberts, Base Engineering Officer Commander Dominique Rigby, RBDF Chief Petty Officer Marcello Charlow, the force’s chief of security, and Commander Warren Bain, a National Security Ministry technical consultant. The RBDF officials discussed the strategic plan to repair and restore the Rolly Gray, the HMBS Arthur Dion Hanna and the HMBS Cascarilla. Another RBDF ship, the HMBS Lawrence Major, is scheduled for a 10-year docking, repair and crane replacement at Cotecmar Shipyard in Cartegena, Colombia, the release stated.
RBDF and Damen officials discussed the scope of work, the plan of execution and the long-term strategic partnership, the release stated. They toured Damen’s facilities and observed patrol vessels’ construction and repair processes. Damen executives also presented the company’s capacity to build harbor security vessels, near-shore patrol vessels and offshore patrol vessels, the types of ships that make up the bulk of RBDF’s maritime assets. The delegation also boarded and inspected the three RBDF ships at the shipyard, including the Rolly Gray, the first ship expected to return to service in The Bahamas in December.
RBDF officials also met with representatives from Alphatron, the company responsible for shipboard naval communications systems. “The visit proved successful, with Damen’s leadership expressing a strong commitment to prioritizing the RBDF’s expectations for the successful repair of all four vessels and their expeditious return to the operational theater in The Bahamas,” the release stated.
Since 2021, The Bahamas has invested more than $100 million in the RBDF, including new coastal fast boat patrol vessels. Enlisted ranks have grown by 570 during the same period, bringing total troop strength to about 1,600. Coastal radar sensors also have been deployed to increase domain awareness.