Germanischer Lloyd (GL) has announced the Latvian Navy’s new SWATH patrol boats will be kept under GL class.

GL surveyors will conduct periodic examinations throughout the life-cycle of the vessels to verify that the vessels continue to be fit for purpose, technically reliable and seaworthy. Five vessels are currently planned with one, the ‘Skrunda’, already delivered to the Latvian Navy in April 2011. This is the first contract ever awarded for the maintenance in class of military SWATH boats.

The five SWATH patrol boats are being built with GL class at German shipyard Abeking & Rasmussen (three vessels) and at the Latvian Riga Shipyard (two vessels). The Latvian Navy made the decision to maintain the vessels in class due to the advanced nature of the design. Following a tender process, carried out according to EU and Latvian law, GL was awarded the contract.

GL surveyors worked with the yards and with the Latvian Navy throughout the construction process to ensure that the vessels' construction complied with both GL rules and the applicable international regulations (e.g. SOLAS, MARPOL). Building vessels to classification society rules and keeping them in class is a growing trend, as navies look to reduce maintenance and monitoring costs while maintaining high safety standards, through compliance with international regulations.

“As vessels become more complex, monitoring the technical safety of such vessels requires a greater investment in resources and manpower,” said GL business development manager André Grabow. “Maintaining vessels to the rules of a classification society allows navies to concentrate on their core activities, reducing the workload on crews and cutting costs.”

SWATH boats are noted for their exceptional stability and motion comfort, both in high seas and at high speeds. ‘Skrunda’ has a length of 25.7 metres, beam of 13.0 metres and a draft of 2.7 metres. It is based on Abeking & Rasmussen's 25m SWATH pilot boat design. In a shift from the pilot boat design the Skrunda's engines have been placed in the lower hulls, which results in more room for the crew and additional passengers. It is designed to undertake a range of operations through the provision of a mount for a modular mission module, which is positioned between the two bows. This can be used to hold equipment or mount systems for conducting a variety of military missions, as well as for civilian tasks such as hydrographic surveys, environmental protection or diving operations.

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