Category: Shipbuilding

Hamburg: Hapag-Lloyd plans sailing container ships

The Hamburg-based shipping company Hapag-Lloyd says it is working on plans for cargo ships with sail propulsion. Specifically, this involves container ships with a length of around 260 metres and a capacity of 4,500 containers. A total of eight masts will be distributed between the container stacks, four on the port side and four on the starboard side. The sails will be pulled out of the mast like a roller blind (furling main) and set automatically from the deck. This means that a ship planned in this way will have more sail area than the German Navy's training ship, the "Gorch Fock". In addition, an engine will be installed that can run on green methanol (e-fuel). In the coming months...

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Here we go: F126

The multi-purpose combat ship "MKS 180", which has since been renamed "Frigate F126", saw the start of construction of its first unit on 5 December 2023. Just a few days before the end of the year, the start of production before 2024, which was promised when the contract was signed, was thus also realised. On 19 June 2020, the signatures were signed in Koblenz with which Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS, Netherlands) and the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) agreed on the construction of the multi-purpose combat ship "MKS 180". At that time, 5.72 billion euros were included in the federal budget. For this amount, Germany is procuring four identical frigates, two of which are equipped with the "ASW situation picture" mission module (ASW:...

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Submarines for Poland now from South Korea?

The Polish Navy has been endeavouring to replace its submarines for some time and launched the "Orka" project in 2014. Since then, European naval shipbuilders have been trying in vain to secure an order. It was not until May 2023 that Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak announced his intention to initiate the purchase of submarines in 2023. South Korea as an option? According to a press release issued by South Korean company Hanwha Ocean on 29 November 2023, the company has held talks about a strategic partnership in Poland and presented its KSS-III submarine project. The 3,600-tonne boat is in service with the Republic of Korea Navy. The offer from...

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Recommended reading: Annual report of the naval command

The Inspector of the Navy, Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack, presented the annual report of the Naval Command at the Maritime Convention in Berlin on 21 November 2023. He explained: "The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, which has continued with unchanged intensity since February last year, clearly demonstrates not only the vulnerability of our globally networked world economy, but also continues to have an impact on the global flow of goods". Referring to the global security policy challenges, he explained: "With the 2023 plan, I have reaffirmed the path we have taken to consistently align the German Navy with the requirements of national and alliance defence. With our 'Naval Course...

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Fassmer builds OPV for Singapore

According to a press release issued by Singapore's Ministry of Defence on 20 November 2023, the city state is procuring four new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), which will be manufactured by German shipyard Fassmer. According to the announcement, the units are based on the design of the OPVs used by the German Federal Police. This suggests that they will be vehicles similar to the Potsdam class. The OPVs are to be delivered in stages from 2028. Until then, the existing Sentinel-class Maritime Security and Response Vessels (MSRV - as classified by Singapore) will remain in service. The Fassmer shipyard in Berne on the Weser opposite Bremen-Blumenthal has not yet delivered...

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