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News

'Severn' Turns the Tide of Naval Procurement

01 Jan 2003

Vosper Thornycroft Shipbuilding launched the second of three Offshore Patrol Vessels for the British Royal Navy from its Woolston, Southampton shipyard last month. The vessel is due to be handed over in the spring.

HMS Severn is launched last month at VT Shipbuildings Southampton yard.

HMS Severn is 79.75loa and utilises a double chine hull form which will provide an improved seakeeping performance compared with the curent Island Class ships as well as superior accommodation. The flexible and efficient design is providing VT with export opportunities, including New Zealand where the design has been short listed to fulfil a similar requirement.

The vessels are powered by two main engines rated 4,125kW at 1,000rpm, providing speeds of up to 20 knots at full load and a range of 5,500nm at 15 knots for their primary purpose of patrolling the UK's Exclusive Economic Zone.

They will have advanced navigation and communication systems as well as machinery control systems supplied by VT Controls. Each will carry two Halmatic Pacific 22 MkII boarding and rescue boats with dedicated single man operation davits and RIB tracking systems.

These OPVs are believed to be the first ships built and funded by industry for charter to the Ministry of Defence. Under the agrrement VT is financing the £60m build of the three ships and will charter them to the MoD for an initial period of five years.

At the end of that time, the MoD can either extend the charter, purchase outright, or return the vessels to VT.

MJ Information No: 17828

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