Photo Eric Pemberton
Regular contributor, Eric Pemberton was alert to the arrival of a very unusual visitor, HNLMS Johan de Witt is the second Landing Platform Dock, amphibious warfare ship of the Royal Netherlands Navy. It was designed in conjunction between the Netherlands and Spain. This large ship Length, 176.35 m (578 ft 7 in) and beam 29 m (95 ft 2 in) was launched in 2007.
Photo Eric Pemberton
It was built at the Damen Shipyards Galați, Romania but was fitted out at the Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding, Netherlands and its home port is Den Helder in the Netherlands.
Photo Eric Pemberton
It has an enormous capacity for 170 armoured personnel carriers or 33 main battle tanks and carry 555 marines with a crew of 146.
Photo Eric Pemberton
The ship is equipped with a large helicopter deck for helicopter operations and a dock for large landing craft. It can carry 6 NH 90 helicopters or 4 Chinook helicopters. It also has a well dock for two landing craft.
Photo Eric Pemberton
It can turn into a command base with a complete Class II hospital, including an operation theatre and intensive care facilities. A surgical team can be stationed on board.
Photo Eric Pemberton
It has already shown its effectiveness in anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia and in humanitarian situations.
It is not known how long it is here for, but if you are travelling down or near the river, you are not going to miss this enormous military ship.
Isle of Dogs Life 