Shipbucket

The Aegir logistics support vessel (LSV) design from BMT Defence Services has been selected by Norway for its Joint Logistics Support Ship (JLSS) requirement – known as Project 2513.

BMT announced on 1 July that the contract is worth £140 million ($213m) and it will provide the basic design; requirements analysis; acceptance planning; integrated logistics support; management; assessment and optimisation of support, availability and reliability; safety and environmental analysis.

The ship will be built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) in its Okpo shipyard in South Korea and is expected to be delivered to the Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN) in October 2016. The vessel will be 180m-long, 26m in beam and displace over 26,000t.

DSME was selected as the preferred supplier by the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation (NDLO) in April. The DSME-BMT team beat competition from their South Korean rival Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) teamed with Rolls-Royce and also teams comprising ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Navantia; Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and Bergen Group; and Fincantieri.

The JLSS programme was approved in mid-2009 replacing an earlier support ship programme. The programme was further modified last year to remove some requirements such as a roll-on, roll-off capability and command and control capabilities to meet the programme budget of NOK1.32 billion.

The RNoN needs a replenishment ship as it anticipates an expansion of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) out to 300 n miles in the coming years. It follows a naval modernisation programme that has seen the acquisition of five Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates, Skjold-class corvettes and mine countermeasure vessels.

It is planned for the JLSS to support a Norwegian Task Force and sustain it on overseas operations for long periods of 30 days, which requires additional fuel, ammunition, spare parts and medical facilities. The task force will be used to provide the Norwegian contingent for any future EU, NATO or UN mission.

BMT also secured a contract in 2012 for the design of four new Tide-class tankers for the UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary under the first stage of the Maritime Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) programme. The tankers will also be built in South Korea by DSME.