KRI Pulau Fani 731 MCMV (photo : Martin Tolle)
Indonesia's minehunters christened
KRI Pulau Fani 731 MCMV (photo : Lothar Hemmelskamp)
More than three and a half years after the conclusion of the contract in February 2019 between the German shipyard Abeking & Rasmussen (A & R) and the Indonesian Ministry of Defense for the construction of two high-tech minehunters, these two units have now (October 12) been christened at the shipyard in Lemwerder.
The company confirmed this to THB on request. The units for which combustion started at the end of 2020 are the "Pulau Fani" and the "Pulau Fanildo". While the latter platform still remained in the large shipbuilding hall, the "Pulau Fani" was already given over to her element.
According to Indonesian media from February 2019, the two mine hunters should cost a little over 200 million US dollars.
The boat duo replaces two older units that were purchased from the Netherlands as existing ships. The boat concept developed by A & R is based in part on the tried-and-tested design of the Frankenthal-class (class 332) minehunters for the German Navy, which joined the fleet in the 1990s. According to the Bundeswehr, these special boats are designed for “targeted mine hunting and large-scale mine clearance”. There are currently ten boats in the fleet, which are combined in the 3rd Minesweeping Squadron (3rd MSG) in Kiel. A & R also used the modern, self-developed 3D laser welding system for the production of the around 62 meter long boat hulls for the two new Indonesian minehunters. A special advantage of the new technology: highly precise,
MAN Energy Solutions SE is one of the important suppliers. The engine specialist supplied the complete hybrid drive package.
The extensive shipyard testing program follows the naming ceremony, which was attended by representatives of the Indonesian Ministry of Defence, the Indonesian Navy, the Embassy in Berlin and the German Navy. The two boats will then be delivered in the first half of 2023.
(THB)