Name Bellis Christened 18 September 1986 Status in active service Launched 14 February 1986 Weight 560 tons Beam 8.96 m | Laid down 9 February 1984 Commissioned 13 August 1986 Construction started 9 February 1984 Length 52 m Draft 3.6 m Builder Rupelmonde | |
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Motto Luctor et emergo
(Latin "I struggle and emerge") | ||
Bellis (M916) is a Tripartite-class minehunter of the Belgian Naval Component, launched on 14 February 1986 at the Mercantile-Belyard shipyard in Rupelmonde and christened by Ellen Goffinet-Rosman, the wife of the then Mayor of Arlon, on 18 September 1986. The patronage of Bellis was accepted by the city of Arlon. It was the second of the Belgian Tripartite-class minehunters.
Commissioned on 13 August 1986, the ship participated the rescue of the survivors of ferry MS Herald of Free Enterprise in March 1987 which had capsized outside the port of Zeebrugge.
Bellis was attached to NATO's Mine Countermeasure Force (North) (MCMFORNORTH) in 1987, 1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2004, and to Mine Countermeasures Force (South) (MCMFORSOUTH) in 1992, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2003.
It is currently commanded by Lieutenant First Class Emmanuel Verhaege.