Partnership to support Royal Malaysian Navy's fleet renewal program

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and propulsion maintenance specialist Enra Energy Solutions (EES) have entered into a technical collaboration agreement (TCA) to support the Royal Malaysian Navy’s strategic fleet renewal program.

Under the TCA, Fincantieri and EES will provide support for the Royal Malaysian Navy's future multi-role support ships (MRSS) and littoral mission ships (LMS) as the service works toward limiting the number of active vessel classes.

The navy's renewal program calls for the phasing out of the older vessels in the fleet. This will help streamline and ensure optimisation of operating expenses through savings in maintenance and operations costs, according to a navy presentation on the program.

There are currently 15 different classes of ships including both surface vessels and submarines in the Royal Malaysian Navy's active fleet.

Under the program, which began being implemented in 2017, only five ship classes would remain in service after 2030. These would include MRSS, LMS, littoral combat ships, patrol vessels, and French-designed Scorpene-class diesel-electric submarines.