The Diplomat
The AAOR Supply, the first of two supply ships built by Navantia for Australia, arrived on Friday at the Garden Island Naval Base, in the Sydney Harbour, according to the Spanish shipping company.
The arrival of the ship, sold, together with another twin, to Australia in 2016, is the previous step to its final delivery to the Australian Navy, for its entry into service in the second quarter of 2021.
The director of Navantia Australia, Alfonso García-Valdés, highlighted the importance of the arrival of the ship and said: “Now we are already waiting for the next step, which will be the final delivery to the Australian Navy, although our important work is not yet finished”. Thus, he reminded that Navantia Australia continues working on management, intelligent maintenance and engineering services, not only for the AAORs, but also for all the ships and boats designed by Navantia.
Navantia Australia is the main contractor of the program for the support of these supply ships (Auxiliary Oil Replenishment). Together with the Department of Defence Procurement and Maintenance (CASG), it will be responsible for developing an advanced asset management model for the life cycle support of these ships during the first five years.
In addition, Navantia is also the manufacturer of certain equipment such as the engines and the integrated platform control system.
Australia is a strategic client for Navantia. When the second AAOR, currently in the Ferrol shipyard, is operational, the Australian Navy will have in service 19 naval units designed by Navantia, 16 of which have also been built in Spain.
The “Nuship Supply” is the first of the two AOR combat supply ships that Navantia is building for the Royal Australian Navy, according to the contract signed in May 2016, for the amount of about 700 million euros. The ships are being built entirely in Ferrol and the contract involved three million working hours.
These logistics ships are based on the Spanish Navy’s vessel “Cantabria“, adapted to Australian standards and requirements. They can supply three ships at sea with fuel, water, food, ammunition and other materials.
In addition, its capacity to transport containers and the large volume of its tanks, among other features, allows this ship to carry out humanitarian and health aid missions to civilians in circumstances of disaster and environmental defense.
