New Zealand Navy Ship First to Get Rolls-Royce’s ‘Environship’ Design

An illustration of the Rolls-Royce’s “Environship Leadge Bow” design concept. Image: Rolls-Royce

A ship design unit of British engine maker Rolls-Royce has secured a contract with South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries to apply its award-winning Environship in the design of a new ship for the new Zealand navy.

Rolls-Royce says the contract marks the first reference for the wave-piercing hull for in the naval sector.

Rolls-Royce will also equip the new vessel, a 23,000t Polar-class logistics support vessel, which is to replace the New Zealand Defence Force’s 30-year-old tanker HMNZS Endeavour.

As prime contractor HHI will undertake detailed design and build the vessel as part of the NZDF’s Maritime Sustainment Capability (MSC) project, using the Rolls-Royce Environship concept design under license.

“We see significant value in the Environship concept in the naval sector. Winning this milestone contract is of considerable importance to our naval ship design offering, which is new to Rolls-Royce,” commented Sam Cameron, Rolls-Royce’s Senior Vice President Sales and Business Development – Naval.

“We have worked with HHI on a number of vessels, but this the first project in which we will collaborate on the conceptual design requirement. We look forward to working with HHI in delivering the MSC Support Ship and providing through-life support to the New Zealand Navy,” Cameron added.

The vessel will be based on a modified Environship hull form designed to meet NZDF requirements for a heavily winterized, ice–strengthened vessel capable of carrying out operations in the Antarctic environment.

Aside from the Environship concept design, the Rolls-Royce scope of supply is extensive and includes a Combined Diesel Electric and Diesel (CODLAD) propulsion plant based on twin Bergen main engines, each driving (via reduction gears) a controllable pitch propeller. Rolls-Royce will also supply the propeller shafts.

Electrical power will be supplied by Rolls-Royce in the form of four MTU gensets from Rolls-Royce Power Systems, which will also provide power to the Rolls-Royce supplied switchboards, motors, drives, bow thruster and the electric RAS/FAS system, which allows for simpler and quieter replenishment/fuelling-at-sea operations. Rotary vane steering gear and rudders form part of a stand-alone package.

Ben Dunscombe, Rolls-Royce, Programme Executive – Asia, who is responsible for the delivery of the project, said: “We have pooled our resources across Rolls-Royce to bring together a unique array of our equipment to meet the specification. To meet the high winterisation and Polar Code 6 requirements, propellers and the main and auxiliary engines will be slightly larger.”

Rolls-Royce is scheduled to deliver equipment to the South Korean builder from 2018. The vessel is scheduled for a 2020 delivery.