Freire Shipyard has launched the diving support vessel A22 Proserpina at its facility in Vigo on April 13. The company stated that the ship, identified as hull number 739, is scheduled for delivery to the Armada Logistics Support Command later this year.
The auxiliary ship measures 32.90 metres in length with a nine-metre beam and carries a crew of up to 15 members. It has a range of 500 nautical miles (926 kilometres) at a cruising speed of 10 knots.
Stability at depths of up to 90 metres is maintained through a dynamic positioning system and a three-anchor mooring system. The vessel carries a remotely operated vehicle capable of reaching 900 metres and an autonomous underwater vehicle with a 300-metre range, the shipyard reported.
Admiral General Antonio Piñeiro Sánchez noted that the vessel has a strategic mission to support the Spanish Navy's Military Diving School in training specialists. The new A22 Proserpina will replace the current Proserpina diving support vessel.
The shipyard's General Managers Marcos and Guillermo Freire stated that the company is the first private yard to build a steel vessel for the Spanish Navy. The project is expected to support the modernisation of auxiliary units, according to the managers.
The ship was christened by Olga Vallespín Gómez, who was the first professional female diver in Spain.
