HS KANARIS (F-464), ex HNLMS JAN VAN BRAKEL (F-825), was launched in the shipyards of Royal Schelde of Holland in 16-05-1981 and was activated in 14-04-1983. In 29-11-2002, the ship was delivered to the Hellenic Navy. She was renamed as “HS KANARIS” and was listed as the 8^th “Standard” type frigate of the Hellenic Navy.

HS KANARIS is the 5^th warship in a row that has this name. The first one was a gunboat, built in 1835 at the Naval station of Poros (eastern Peloponnese). The second one, bought in 1880, was part of the command of the torpedo ships. The third one was a Hunt III type destroyer received from the British Navy in 1942.  The fourth one, was a Gearing FRAM I type destroyer, built on 1945 and bought from the American Navy in 1972. It was decommissioned in 1993.

The name of the ship origins from Konstantinos Kanaris, who was a hero of the 1821 Hellenic Revolution. Born in Psara island, which is located west of Chios island, Konstantinos Kanaris joined the mariner’s profession at an early age. The beginning of the revolution found him in Odessa as captain of a merchant ship. He left his ship in order to rank as a sailor next to A. Miaoulis and N. Apostolis, which were leading members of the  Hellenic Revolution. The night of the 6^th of June 1822, he set the turkish flagship in the port of Chios island on fire, using a fishing boat filled with flammable material. The result was the death of 2000 crewmembers of the blown up flagship, including the turkish admiral Kara-Ali. This act was considered as a divine justice corresponding to the massacre of Chios population by the ottomans and made Konstantinos Kanaris a hero, causing european wide admiration. Since then, he fought incessantly and successfully being also the captain of the frigate “HELLAS”.

After the end of the war, Kanaris continued serving the Navy until 1844. At this time, he retired as a rear admiral. During the reign of King George the first, he served as Minister of the Navy and later as Prime Minister. He died in 1877 and passed in the pantheon of the heroes of the Hellenic Navy.