HNLMS Bloys van Treslong was built at Wilton-Fijenoord in Schiedam. The keel laying took place on 5 May 1978, and she was launched on 15 November 1980. The ship was put into service on 25 November 1982.[1]
In 1993, the ship served as station ship in the West Indies. During this period, she was sent to Haiti in support of the United Nations peace mission Support Democracy.[2]