Missed Opportunity in the Bahamas ? – the former Crown Colony on the Bahamas, and an Independent Commonwealth Realm in 1973, (retaining HM The Queen as monarch), has a significant maritime commitment and has a considerable need to upgrade its capabilities in this area.   It is thus disappointing to learn that the Dutch Damen concern, building on its success with building tugs and ancillary craft for SERCO at the behest of a MoD Contract to replace much of what was the former Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service fleet, have secured the first of a series of contracts to re-equip the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.   Damen is to build nine (9) vessels for the Bahamas, and help them upgrade all three (3) local naval bases.    “Project Sandy Bottom” involves:-

                        Four (4) Offshore Patrol Vessels (Damen SPa 4207)

                        Four (4) Coastal Patrol Boats (Damen SPa 3007)

                        One  (1) Support Ship (for logistics and disaster relief), (Damen RoRo 5612)

It is astonishing – did any British Company tender for this business ?    The Bahamas is largely an import, service economy heavily dependent of the USA affiliated businesses mostly associated with tourism and banking.    With few domestic resources and little industry, they import nearly all its food and manufactured goods from the United States who are favoured by Bahamians due to cultural similarities and heavy exposure to American advertising.  So what did the Dutch have ?