Naval Auxiliary/Support

VESSEL REVIEW | JB-01 & JB-02 – Durable shallow-draught survey boats for Bangladesh Navy

Baird Maritime

The Bangladesh Navy has taken delivery of two new survey boats in a series from local builder Khulna Shipyard.

BNS JB-01 and BNS JB-02 each have an LOA of 14.7 metres, a beam of 5.1 metres, a draught of 1.1 metres, and a displacement of 22.5 tonnes at full load. Design work on the all-aluminium vessels was carried out in compliance to Bureau Veritas class rules and provided by Western Australia-based naval architects Global Marine Design and Marine Consultancy Singapore.

As the smallest survey vessels in the Bangladesh Navy, the Khulna-built boats can easily operate in the country's shallower and narrower coastal and inland waters. Also, the warped monohull design provides enhanced manoeuvrability as well as excellent seakeeping in rough waters to allow for survey work to be effectively carried out even in the open ocean.

Each of the two Khulna-built survey boats is powered by a pair of Cummins QSB-6.7 medium-speed diesel engines that each produce 224 kW at 2,600 rpm and are connected to ZF W320 reverse-reduction gearboxes. This configuration delivers a maximum speed of 16 knots and a range of 300 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 12 knots. Surveys will be performed at an even more economical speed of five knots to enable the boats to cover broad areas in rivers and lakes and along coastlines. Palmarine electro-hydraulic steering systems have been fitted as well.

The survey capability on each boat is enhanced by the installation of an A-frame on the spacious aft working deck. The assembly comes with an electric winch and is capable of lifting and deploying seabed-mapping sensors to add to the coverage provided by the boats' own single-beam and multi-beam echosounders that have been built into their hulls.

In addition to the echosounders, the vessels' comprehensive electronics include a JRC JMA-5212 X-band radar, ICOM fixed and handheld VHF radios, a Koden CVS-126 depth sounder, a Furuno GP-170 GPS, a command intercom system, and a sound velocity profiler. Power for the onboard systems is drawn from two Beta Marine diesel generator sets that each have a rated output of 22.7 kWe. Each boat also comes equipped with eight batteries for augmenting their respective electrical power generation capacities.

Four crewmembers and four survey technicians can be accommodated on each boat. Onboard accommodation spaces include a galley, a toilet, and a cabin with berths below main deck. An interior work area comes with tables for charts and survey equipment.

Wrap-around tube fendering has been fitted on the hull while Jotun paint was used for the exterior surfaces.

JB-01 & JB-02
SPECIFICATIONS
Type of vessel:Survey boats
Classification:Bureau Veritas
Flag:Bangladesh
Owner:Bangladeh Navy
Operator:Bangladesh Navy
Designer:Global Marine Design, Australia; Marine Consultancy Singapore
CAD software:SSI Shipconstructor; ZWCAD
Builder:Khulna Shipyard, Bangladesh
Hull construction material:Aluminium
Superstructure construction material:Aluminium
Deck construction material:Aluminium
Plate cutting:CNC
Length overall:14.7 metres
Length waterline:14.2 metres
Length bp:13.96 metres
Beam:5.1 metres
Draught:1.1 metres
Depth:2.45 metres
Displacement:22.5 tonnes
Main engines:2 x Cummins QSB-6.7, each 224 kW at 2,600 rpm
Gearboxes:2 x ZF W320
Generators:2 x Beta Marine, each 22.7 kWe
Steering system:Palmarine electro-hydraulic
Maximum speed:16 knots
Cruising speed:12 knots
Range:300 nautical miles
Batteries:8
Hydraulic equipment:Palmarine
Electronics supplied by:MEL
Radar:JRC JMA‐5212‐4BB X‐band
Depth sounders:Koden CVS-126; multi-beam echosounder; single-beam echosounder
Radios:ICOM IC‐M506 VHF; ICOM IC‐M25 portable VHF
Compasses:Daiko T‐130SL; Steiner Navigator Pro 7×50
GPS:Furuno GP‐170
Audio systems:DACS‐08 entertainment system with 4 outlets; 3101 CIS master station intercom; batteryless telephone system: 4061 telephone unit
Other electronics:Signalling torch; Zollner ZETFON 120/330K air horn; Koden LCD screen
Winch:Electric winch for A-frame
Capstan/windlass:Muir
Other deck equipment:Marine Consultancy Singapore A-frame
Fendering:Tube type
Other equipment installed:SW hydrophore system; FW hydrophore system
Paints:Jotun
Searchlight:TG‐26
Floor/deck surface finishes:PVC tiles
Interior designer:Marine Consultancy Singapore
Interior fitout/furnishings:Toilet
Type of fuel:Diesel
Fuel capacity:2,400 litres
Fuel consumption:168 litres per hour
Freshwater capacity:800 liters
Accommodation:Galley; crew cabin
Crew:4
Passengers:4