The Dutch naval vessel Zr.Ms. The Seven Provinces has lost about 4,000 liters of lubricating oil in the Baltic Sea in the past month, the Ministry of Defense announced on Monday.
Because the oil leaked out in small parts, the leak was not immediately noticeable. The crew did not notice the spill until thousands of liters of oil had already drained. The leak was subsequently repaired, but the cause is not yet known. The ship is now in Lisbon for a port visit.
Sr.Ms. De Zeven Provinciën was part of the NATO fleet association Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1). This fleet association is mainly active in the northern Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
The NATO flash force has been in existence since 2003, but this year it was activated for the first time for the collective defense of the alliance due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The flash force should act as a deterrent towards Russia, NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg said in February. The Netherlands currently commands the fleet.
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