SINT MAARTEN/CURAACAO - On Wednesday, October 29, HNLMS Pelikaan departed from Curaçao to deliver emergency aid to Jamaica, the Dutch Ministry of Defense said on Friday in a press statement.
The deployment is taking place at the request of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). Jamaica was severely affected by Hurricane Melissa, which passed over the island on Tuesday, October 28.
On Wednesday, the navy ship loaded relief supplies and emergency equipment in Curaçao, including food, medical supplies, and emergency shelters. During the voyage, HNLMS Pelikaan will first sail to Barbados to take on additional emergency supplies.
As a logistical support vessel with an onboard crane and a large cargo hole, HNLMS Pelikaan is ideally suited for transporting emergency supplies.
Providing assistance is one of the three main tasks of the Ministry of Defense in the Caribbean.
