The Diplomat
Navantia’s shipyards in Puerto Real and San Fernando began the production phase yesterday of a Maritime Action Ship for Underwater Intervention (BAM-IS) for the Navy and an offshore patrol vessel for the Royal Moroccan Navy.
In both cases, according to the shipping company, the manoeuvre consisted of cutting the first plate of a pilot block to fine-tune the production systems. The construction of this block, which belongs to the upper part of the engine room, will allow the new digital design, control and management tools implemented in the shipyard to be put into operation and tested. The BAM-IS will be the first ship built at the Puerto Real shipyard to use these tools.
The BAM-IS, which will be named ‘Poseidon’, will be the specialised and equipped platform for salvage and submarine rescue support. Likewise, it will be the Navy’s main unit for supporting diving operations, replacing the rescue and salvage vessel ‘Neptune’, which is expected to be ready in 2026.
The manufacture of the BAM-IS responds to a need associated with the S-80 submarines in order to provide support and guarantee the safety of the crews throughout their operational life.
The BAM-IS vessel is highly modular in nature. With its large working deck, more than 400 m2, it enables the installation of different modular systems that allow it to be configured for different mission profiles: diving operations, submarine rescue or salvage, underwater heritage protection, etc. For this purpose, it also has an innovative propulsion and electrical generation plant, based on direct current technologies, energy storage systems and cycloidal thrusters, which provides it with the capacity to maintain a highly accurate dynamic positioning even in adverse weather conditions, all in compliance with the most demanding environmental standards.
In addition, this new unit for the Navy will be capable of operating with the NATO Submarine Rescue System “NSRS”. This quality, among others, will allow it to obtain for the first time for a Navy ship, the ‘MOSHIP’ certification to act as a mother ship for NATO submarine Rescue and Rescue systems. It will also be equipped with unmanned vehicles (ROV) capable of remote underwater exploration and intervention.
On the other hand, identical manoeuvres have been carried out at the San Fernando shipyard in the fabrication workshop to build an offshore patrol vessel for the Royal Moroccan Navy. The Navantia and shipyard managers explained the construction process to the Moroccan ambassador in Madrid, Karima Benyaich
The construction of this patrol boat for Morocco also includes a technical-logistical support package (spare parts, tools and technical documentation), including technical training services for the personnel of the Royal Moroccan Navy in Spain.
The patrol vessel is a solution that guarantees long periods of deployment at sea, with very low operating and life-cycle costs. To achieve this, the design of its systems aims to maintain operability, maintainability and reliability with a reduced crew.
