Just like my article for the options for the second enhanced sealift vessel we will look at what the requirements are and the see what options we have available on the market.
We know form the DCP2019 that the Southern Ocean Vessel will be capable of going deep into the Southern Ocean carry out patrols, and various resupply and even research missions. Industry engagement has already commenced and telling the industry what we need and gathering information. Request for tender is in 2022.
From the DCP it states
Southern ocean patrol Vessel
Preserving the Southern ocean and new Zealand’s marine living resources
81. In the coming years it is likely that a range of factors will lead to an increase in resource competition, impacting on access to and sustainability of marine resources in New Zealand, the Pacific, and the Southern Ocean.
82. An opportunity exists for New Zealand to better support the sustainability of marine resources in the Southern Ocean and in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Monitoring and mitigating the effects of climate change will also require continued support to New Zealand’s civilian presence in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.
83. Towards these ends this Defence Capability Plan 2019 includes the delivery of a dedicated Southern Ocean Patrol Vessel. The capabilities of this vessel will be primarily for use towards supporting other agencies in the Southern Ocean and around New Zealand. Built to commercial specifications, the vessel will have minimal specialist military capabilities.
84. This vessel will be used by Defence alongside other Government agencies in the Southern Ocean and the waters of New Zealand, allowing the Otago Class offshore patrol vessels, and their eventual replacements,
to focus on the South Pacific.
85. While the operation of this vessel will be Defence-led, it will be able to support non-Defence functions including the gathering of scientific data.
118. Over past decades, the Defence Force has been reliant on a number of capabilities based on either a single or very small number of platforms, including:
118.2 Offshore Patrol Vessels – the coincidence of the summer fishing season in the Southern Ocean, and the cyclone season in the Pacific creates demands on the two Offshore Patrol Vessels that often exceed the capacity of a two ship fleet; and
193. The Navy’s existing patrol capabilities are not able to meet the changing requirements of New Zealand’s Maritime domain. The inshore and offshore patrol vessel have provided significant value during their service lives, but are increasingly operationally limited as the ships age and regulations evolve. With expectations to operate with increasing frequency in the South Pacific and the Southern Ocean, the existing vessels do not provide the optimal fleet for our maritime domain.
194. Acquisition of a Southern Ocean Patrol Vessel will occur in the mid-2020s. The new vessel will provide dedicated patrol capabilities to other Government agencies within New Zealand’s sovereign waters and the Southern Ocean. Built to commercial standards, the vessel will significantly increase the level of capability and safety for operations in the Southern Ocean, allowing for a broader patrol area and the ability to stay within fishing grounds for greater durations. This will allow the remaining offshore patrol vessels greater capacity to respond in the Pacific.
Indicative dates:
Industry engagement commences – 2020
Request for tender – 2022
Introduction into Service – 2027
indicative capital cost: From $300–$600m
- Southern Ocean Patrol Vessel Project
- Beca selected to support Southern Ocean Patrol Vessel Project
- SOPV
- Southern Ocean Patrol Vessel
So we roughly know what the vessel is be capable of or what the government want it to do, we know it will be built to commercial standard, and we know the budget. We also know that Beca Applied Technologies Ltd, with the support of specialist naval architecture company Vard Marine Inc, has been appointed by the Ministry of Defence as Technical Support Partner to the Southern Ocean Patrol Vessel project.
The current two OPV's HMNZS Otago and Wellington cost around $110 Million in 2003 and inflate that to today's money 2020 $155 million NZD. If we calculate that inflation a say an average rate of 2% over 4 or 5 years we have $168-172 million depending when contract would be signed. The starting budget for the SOPV is at $300m with an upper level of $600 million. This is a very generous amount. Twice the amount for the current OPV's which still quite capable vessels and have been and some rough southern seas with no major issues. The current OPV's are designed to survive upto sea state 9.
So for the SOPV, we know it needs to be able to handle conditions as shown in the videos above, and to be able to survive upto at least sea state 9 or more... which in all my years in the Royal New Zealand Navy I never experience sea state 9, but many times 7 and 8 and on average it sea state 4 or 5.
So what do we know about Vard and what options are there for a dedicated southern ocean patrol vessel. Well we know the Vard have their own designs as a starting point. Both current OPV's and The Harry DeWolf Class as well as the Irish OPV's are based on Vard designs.
