May 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 23
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Springing into life Nautilus has welcomed the arrival of Tidespring, the first of four new RFA ships. ANDREW LININGTON went to Falmouth to meet those involved in getting the vessel into service… The new RFA tanker Tidespring Picture: Crown copyright
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The first in a series of four new Royal Fleet Auxiliary tankers has arrived in the UK after a 50-day 15,000-mile delivery voyage from South Korea via Japan, Hawaii and the Panama Canal. Built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), the 39,000tonne Tidespring is spending the next few months at the A&P yard in Falmouth to undergo ‘customisation’ work — including the fitting of specialist communications and IT equipment, damage control systems, armour, decoys and self-defence weapons. Replenishment at sea (RAS), radar, navigation, communications and weapons trials are due to take place over the summer, with the ship due to come into service by the end of this year. The other ships — Tiderace, Tidesurge and Tideforce — are set to follow at four-month intervals, with all four due to come into service by the end of 2018. The new Tide class tankers replace the RFA’s old single-hulled vessels. They have been designed to meet the latest MARPOL and SOLAS Convention requirements, with an anticipated service life of at least 25 years. Capable of carrying up to 19,000 cu m of fuel and 1,300 cu m of fresh water, the tankers have been designed to provide core support to the Royal Navy’s new 70,000-tonne Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, alongside the wider fleet. ‘This is a momentous day for the RFA,’ said Commodore Duncan Lamb. ‘We have not had a new ship come into service for well over a decade and this is a very much-needed and welcome increase in capability for us. We are really impressed with the capability the ship delivers and the Tide class will support the Navy’s global reach for decades to come.’ Captain Simon Herbert, who was appointed as the ship’s commanding officer in February, told the Telegraph: ‘To be given command of the RFA’s first new ship for 13 years is a real privilege. The delivery voyage went well and proved that the ship handles well, with excellent seakeeping and manoeuvrability.’ As the RFA’s chief technical superintendent, the Tide class project has kept Captain (E) Jim Collins very busy for the
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Captain (E) Jim Collins
Captain Simon Herbert
Chief officer (E) Tam Nugent
past four years,and his 46-year career with the RFA will come to an end when the last of the ships is delivered next year.
see the RFA flotilla being upgraded in this way, with new tonnage that enhances its vital role in providing professional and efficient strategic support.’ Tidespring’s arrival was well over a year later than scheduled — with the cause being put down to DSME having under-estimated the complexity of the design. What were described as ‘technical issues’ discovered during sea trials, together with new regulations around
cable insulation, resulted in ‘adjustments to the build schedule’ — although the MoD is keen to stress that the ships are being built within budget. MARS tanker team leader Robin Boulby said the four ships are being built through a £452m contract with DSME — but stressed that the programme is also worth around £150m for a total of 27 UKbased companies, including A&P. ‘The project marks the start of a new phase of recapitalisation of the RFA, and demonstrates future commitment to the service,’ he added. Equipped with 17 tanks, the Tide class tankers will supply ship and aviation fuel, as well as fresh water and a range of general stores, from three abeam RAS stations and a stern fuel delivery reel. ‘We are confident that we are providing the RFA with the next generation of tankers that will enable them to support the RN anywhere in the world,’ Mr Boulby said. ‘Tidespring is more than a tanker,’ he added. ‘To be a truly capable naval auxiliary, vessels need to be able to integrate into a task force and these ships will provide support to fixed-wing and amphibious operations, security patrols, counter-narcotics and humanitarian relief.’ Tidespring operates with a crew of 63 — including 17 officers — and can accommodate up to 46 additional personnel.
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Nautilus senior national secretary Steve Doran commented: ‘It’s always good to welcome a new ship — but especially good in this case, as the Tide class ships have been a long time coming. We are delighted to
Commodore Duncan Lamb Pictures (all portraits): Andrew Linington
The ship has a flight deck large enough to accommodate a Chinook helicopter, and can operate with an embarked helicopter up to the size of a Merlin. The hull form, developed by BMT, includes twin rudders and twin skegs for good directional stability and manoeuvrability. There’s also a special ‘dropdown’ 2KW bow thruster which can help the ship return to port at up to 5 knots if the main engines are damaged. ‘Directional stability is very important,’ Capt Herbert stressed. ‘We will be working in a very different way, having to keep station with the RAS station on the port side.’ There is a high level of redundancy, with twin 7.2MW Wärtsilä main engines, two 2.5MW main diesel generators and a pair of 2.4MW shaft generators. Tidespring can operate for up to 90 days at sea, with a contractual speed of 17 knots and a RAS speed of between 12 to 14 knots. Chief officer (E) Tam Nugent said the ship has six different modes of propulsion — diesel drive, diesel cruise (with the main engines running the shaft generator), hybrid drive (with the generators powering hybrid motors), manoeuvre mode (with two engines and two generators), RAS mode and the ‘get you home’ drop-down thruster mode.
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A&P — which has a ‘cluster support’ contract to maintain the RFA Argus and Bay class ships at home and abroad until 2018 — is not only undertaking the military customisation of the Tide class ships, but is also providing fleet time support for the ships during the delivery process. ‘This is a hugely significant project for us,’ said managing director Gerald Pitts. ‘Tidespring’s arrival has been two years in the planning, and to see it coming into fruition is wonderful for the workforce.’ Cmdre Lamb said the RFA is now turning its attention to the next stage of its fleet development — starting an assessment phase for its three new solid support ships, which are due to enter into service in the middle of the next decade. ‘I’m very excited about the future and proud that we are the largest employer of UK seafarers,’ he added. ‘My message is that we are very much committed to training and safeguarding the UK maritime industry in the years ahead.’
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