The Indian Coast Guard has taken delivery of a new pollution control vessel while the US Navy has formally named its newest fast transport. New orders include two Chinese rescue vessels and two frigates for the Philippine Navy.
The US Navy formally named its newest Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport (EPF) in a ceremony in Mobile, Alabama, on Saturday, January 10.
The future USNS Lansing is the first US Navy ship to be named in honour of Michigan’s capital city of Lansing. Construction of the EPF is ongoing at Austal USA's Mobile facilities.
Upon completion, the future Lansing will have a length of 337 feet (103 metres), a beam of 93.5 feet (28.5 metres), and a draught of 12.5 feet (3.83 metres). The vessel will also be capable of operating in shallow waterways and undertaking a wide range of activities including the high-speed transportation of troops, military vehicles such as main battle tanks, and equipment totalling 544 tonnes up to 1,200 nautical miles.
The Indian Coast Guard commissioned a new pollution control vessel into service on Monday, January 5.
ICGS Samudra Pratap is the first in a planned class of two vessels built by Goa Shipyard (GSL) for the Indian Coast Guard. The vessels are known as the GSL-class in Indian service.
The vessel was built with more than 72 per cent indigenous content in line with the Indian Government's "make in India" initiative. Construction was completed in fulfilment of a contract awarded by the Indian Ministry of Defence in 2021.
The China Maritime Safety Administration has initiated a tender process for two new all-electric rescue vessels for operation by the Yangtze River Safety Bureau.
The tender calls for the construction of two new vessels that will each have an LOA of 37.5 metres, a beam of 5.5 metres, a depth of 2.6 metres, a design draught of only 1.35 metres, a steel hull, and an aluminium deck.
The vessels will each be fitted with 2,100kWh lithium iron phosphate battery packs driving two 390kW motors to deliver a maximum speed of 16 knots, a cruising speed of just under 11 knots, and a range of 180 kilometres.
The Chinese Ministry of Transport (MOT) has awarded a contract to China State Shipbuilding Corporation subsidiary Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute for the design of a new oceangoing rescue vessel.
The vessel will be operated by the MOT's East China Sea Rescue Bureau. It will be built in compliance with unlimited navigation area class notation to permit operation in international as well as Chinese domestic waters.
The vessel will have a full load displacement of 20,000 tons, a design speed of 17.5 knots, a range of 16,000 nautical miles, and a bollard pull of more than 350 tons. It will also be fitted with a helicopter deck forward of the superstructure as well as a working deck with a total area of 1,200 square metres for the transport of various rescue equipment including remotely operated vehicles and autonomous underwater vehicles.
South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has been awarded a contract by the Philippine Department of National Defense for the construction of two 3,200-ton frigates for the Philippine Navy.
HHI said the contract has a total value of approximately KRW844.7 billion (US$590 million). The two ships are scheduled to be handed over to the Philippine Navy in the second half of 2029.
HHI said the frigates will be built to similar specifications as the Philippine Navy's two Miguel Malvar-class guided-missile frigates (originally designated corvettes), which were delivered earlier this year in April and September, respectively. This will ensure commonality in systems across the four vessels.