Naval fuel supply vessel class 707: Construction begins on second tanker

From a press release of the NVL Group

The second naval supply vessel (MBV 707) for the German Navy was launched at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg on 29 February 2024 in the presence of naval representatives and project participants. The new military supply vessels will replace the existing RHÖN-class units in the future with the sister ship that was laid down in the middle of last year. Both naval tankers are being built under the leadership of the NVL Group in co-operation with the Meyer Group in Rostock.

Flotilla Admiral Andreas Czerwinski, BAAINBw, Photo: Felix-Matthies

"With the cutting of the first steel plate, we are starting the shipbuilding realisation of the second ship today as planned," said NVL project manager Beate Debold on the sidelines of the official start of construction. "This means that both naval tankers are now in the production phase. This is an important milestone for the project and for us as an industry team, which is working together on a procurement project for the first time in this constellation. We are now working at full speed towards the next milestone and will continue to do everything we can to maintain the fast pace despite current challenges such as supply chain bottlenecks and material shortages."

The platforms are built, commissioned and tested at the Neptun shipyard in Rostock, which belongs to the Meyer Group. Only the deckhouses will be manufactured in Papenburg and then shipped to Rostock for assembly. "For the first ship, we are already in the process of manufacturing the RAS mast, part of the centrepiece of both tankers," emphasised Daniel Schmelzer, Project Manager at Meyer Werft. The RAS system (Replenishment at Sea) enables ships to be supplied with operating supplies, spare parts or food while travelling on the high seas, thereby increasing the deployment time of naval vessels in the respective area of operation.

Group photo with NVL project manager Beate Debold and Meyer project manager Daniel Schmelzer, photo: Felix-Matthies

As the general contractor, NVL is responsible for project management, the naval-specific parts of the platform and deployment system as well as extensive services to ensure that the ships are ready for operation in the Bundeswehr's logistics system.

With a loading volume of almost 13,000 cubic metres of diesel fuel, the 173 metre long and 20,000 tonne displacement fleet tankers allow up to three parallel refuelling operations at sea. The double-hull tankers also have numerous modular container bays, for example for transporting food and spare parts. There is direct access from the flight deck to the infirmary for efficient support of rescue operations.