…There’s a patrol boat docked in the canal basin?

V902 – Libération: From Rhine Patrol to Floating Heritage

he V902 – Libération is a historic patrol vessel of the Belgian Navy, built in 1954 at the Theodor Hitzler shipyard in Regensburg, Germany. Originally designated as P902, the ship was part of the Belgian Rhine flotilla, a fleet that, following World War II, monitored the Rhine between Koblenz and the Dutch border. The Libération served as the command ship within this flotilla.

After the dissolution of the Rhine flotilla in 1960, the P902 was transferred to the naval base in Kallo, near Antwerp. There, the vessel was used for various purposes, including public relations, hydrographic work, university research, and security operations on the Scheldt River and in the port of Antwerp. As of 2000, the Libération served as a representational vessel for the Belgian Navy.

In 2012, the ship was transferred to the Royal Navy Cadet Corps, which initially stationed it in Hasselt. Since June 2016, the V902 – Libération has been based in Leopoldsburg, a municipality with a rich military tradition. Although Leopoldsburg is not located by the sea, this location highlights the close ties between the navy and the local military community.

The Libération is recognized as floating heritage due to its historical, industrial-archaeological, and socio-cultural value. The ship stands as a testament to the political climate in Europe shortly after World War II, the shipbuilding techniques of that era, and its role in youth training within the Royal Navy Cadet Corps.

For more information about the V902 – Libération and her current activities, please visit the official website of the Royal Navy Cadet Corps.