The Serdang-class tender came into existence due to the rebuilding of the old, but similar and gunboats. The seven ships of these classes would serve as gunboats until 1921 after which they were either rebuilt as minelayers or decommissioned. Of the ships that were converted into minelayers, four would be rebuilt once more between 1923-1932 into tenders becoming the Serdang-class tenders.
Upon the outbreak of the second world war, only HNLMS Serdang was still in service. She served as a patrol ship and mother ship to motor torpedo boats (MTBs), submarines and seaplanes until the fall of Java. She was then scuttled by her own crew on 6 March 1942 after being unable to escape to Australia.