Engie Axima equips F 126 with air conditioning and ventilation technology

On 23 July, the Dutch shipyard Damen and Engie Axima Germany announced their cooperation in the construction of the Class 126 frigates (formerly MKS 180). Engie Axima, formerly Noske-Kaeser, will thus supply the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems as well as the protection against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazards (CBRN) and the refrigeration systems for the future frigates.
Engie Axima has a long list of references. Over 300 naval units worldwide use air conditioning and ventilation systems from the Hamburg-based company. CBRN protection from the former Noske-Kaeser is used on over 180 surface units worldwide. The innovative CBRNflex3600 protection system, which is installed in military and civilian ships, enables the filtering of up to 3600 cubic metres of fresh air per hour. In addition, Engie Axima offers customised systems and complete turnkey systems for refrigeration, piping and fire extinguishing technology. The latter is also used in new buildings for the US Navy. The company is one of the few to develop air conditioning, refrigeration and fire protection systems specifically for offshore platforms.
Noske-Kaeser, which provided ventilation, heating and air conditioning on board ships for almost 140 years, equipped more than 50 surface ships and six submarines for the German Navy. These include the class 124 and 125 frigates, the class 130 corvettes, the class 702 task force supply vessels and the class 212A submarines.
The traditional company Noske-Kaeser went bankrupt in 2009 and was taken over by the Engie Group in January 2018. The Hamburg headquarters and the subsidiaries in Australia, India, Malaysia and Turkey have been part of Engie Axima since the takeover. The group, which is one of Europe's largest energy suppliers, manages its global activities in the shipping and oil & gas sectors from its headquarters in Paris.
In June 2020, Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) signed the contract for the construction of the multi-purpose combat ship 180, which has been known as the Class 126 frigate since January 2021. Together with its partners Blohm+Voss and Thales, Damen is building a total of four units. The first ship is due to be handed over to the German Navy in Hamburg in 2028.

Text: Hans-Uwe Mergener, Graphic: Ladies