Thailand's Customs Department welcomes a new vessel to its fleet while construction is underway on a future US Navy submarine. Newbuilding orders include patrol and tender boats for the Hellenic Coast Guard and a new class of indigenously constructed support ships for the Indian Navy.
New patrol boat delivered to Thai customs agency
Thai shipbuilder Seacrest Marine has delivered a new aluminium patrol boat to the Customs Department of Thailand.
Customs Boat 523 has an LOA of 20.5 metres, a beam of 5.5 metres, a draught of 0.85 metre, space for six crewmembers, and two MTU 10V2000 M96L engines that each produce 1,193kW at 2,450 rpm. The engines turn propellers via ZF 3000 gearboxes to deliver a top speed of 37 knots and a range of just over 300 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 20 knots.
The vessel was built in compliance to Thai flag, Lloyd's Register, and Australian NSCV Fast Craft (Fire and Safety) requirements.
Keel laid for future US Navy submarine Tang
General Dynamics Electric Boat has laid the keel of the future USS Tang, a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine ordered by the US Navy.
The 32nd Virginia-class submarine will also be the third US Navy submarine to be named for the tang or regal blue surgeonfish.
Once in service, the submarine will be used for strike warfare, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, mine warfare, and special operations forces delivery and support.
Danish builder to supply new boats to Hellenic Coast Guard
Danish boatbuilder Viking Life-Saving Equipment has been selected by Greece's Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy for the construction and delivery of 31 new patrol boats in a series and three high-speed rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) for use by the Hellenic Coast Guard.
The patrol boats will each have a length of 12 metres and two inboard diesel engines that will deliver a top speed of 50 knots and a service speed of 35 knots. Missions will include border patrols and fisheries enforcement.
The patrol boats will utilise the same basic hull as that of the coast guard's five 12-metre fast ambulance boats, which were also built by Viking.
The RIBs will be operated as tenders aboard some of the coast guard's larger vessels. Each RIB will have a length of 7.5 metres, capacity for five personnel, and two outboard engines that will deliver speeds of up to 45 knots.
Indian Navy to receive additional support ships
The Indian Ministry of Defence has awarded Hindustan Shipyard a contract for the construction of five fleet support ships in the series to be operated by the Indian Navy.
The vessels will be the first of their kind to be manufactured in India. These will be used to transport fuel, ammunition, food, water, and stores in support of deployed Indian Navy surface ships during extended periods out at sea.
The vessels will each have a displacement of 44,000 tonnes.
