RFA Proteus

Last updated

RFA Proteus
RFA Proteus in Cammell Laird.webp
Proteus at Cammell Laird
History
Flag of the Marshall Islands.svgMarshall Islands
NameTopaz Tangaroa
Owner P&O Maritime Logistics
Port of registry Majuro
Builder Vard Brattvaag, Norway and Tulcea shipyard in Romania.
Cost$62 million [1]
Yard number841
Launched18 March 2017 [2]
FateSold to Ministry of Defence, 14 February 2023
British-Royal-Fleet-Auxiliary-Ensign.svgUnited Kingdom
NameProteus
Namesake Proteus, a sea-god in Greek mythology
Sponsored by Akshata Murty [3]
Acquired14 February 2023
In service10 October 2023
Homeport Falmouth
Identification
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class and typeVARD 3 08 [6]
TypeMulti-role ocean surveillance ship
Tonnage
Displacement6,000  t (5,900 long tons) [4]
Length98.1 m (321 ft 10 in) [2]
Beam20.048 m (65 ft 9.3 in) [2]
Draught6.0 m (19 ft 8 in) [2]
Propulsion
  • 2 × Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines (2 × 2,250 kW, 3,020 hp)
  • 1 × Caterpillar 3512C diesel engine (1 × 1,700 kW, 2,300 hp)
  • 2 × Caterpillar C32 diesel engines (2 × 1,820 kW, 2,440 hp)
  • 2 × Kongsberg azimuth thrusters (2 × 1,650kW)
  • 1 × bow thruster (1 × 1,500 kW, 2,000 hp) [2]
SpeedMax 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) [7]
Complement82 as civil supply vessel; [7] 24 RFA and 60 RN personnel in RFA service [8]
Aviation facilitiesHelipad

RFA Proteus is a ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary within His Majesty's Naval Service of the United Kingdom. Its roles being a platform for Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles (ROUVs) [9] and a testbed for new specialist capabilities, required for monitoring waters important to UK interests. [3] Acquired in 2023, the ship entered drydock at Cammell Laird for modification into a Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance Ship (MROSS). She formally entered service in October 2023. [10]

Contents

The ship was formerly named MV Topaz Tangaroa in 2017–2022, and was used as a platform supply vessel operated by P&O Maritime Logistics. [4] The vessel was refitted after being sold to the U.K. Ministry of Defence in January 2023.

Proteus is one of two new commercial vessels acquired for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 2023, the other being RFA Stirling Castle; a mine hunting support ship to act as a mothership for autonomous minehunters. [11]

History

MV Topaz Tangaroa

The ship operated as the offshore support vessel MV Topaz Tangaroa for Topaz Marine (later, P&O Maritime Logistics) from December 2019 until January 2023. Designed and built by Vard Brattvaag, Norway and with the hull construction completed in Tulcea shipyard, Romania [6] the primary capabilities of Topaz Tangaroa were to support subsea construction and installation projects, subsea inspection and survey, and as a mother ship to support remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operations. The ship was flagged in the Marshall Islands with its home port as Majuro.[ citation needed ]

Projects for which Topaz Tangaroa was deployed includes supporting the construction of the Greater Changhua offshore wind farm near Taiwan. [12]

RFA Proteus

Owing to the UK's government's growing concern about protecting subsea infrastructure, and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Topaz Tangaroa was purchased by the UK's Ministry of Defence in February 2023 for £70 million to be converted into a multi-role ocean surveillance (MROS) ship operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. [13] The ship was assigned the pennant number K60. Initial conversion for naval service is being conducted at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, UK.

The MROS was initially announced by the Defence Secretary Ben Wallace during the 2022 Conservative Party conference. Then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson had first discussed the possibility of such a vessel in November 2020. [14]

She is equipped with a 120-tonne crane as well as a hangar and workshops capable of accommodating remotely operated and other unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). The Ministry of Defence reportedly acquired three Kongsberg HUGIN Large UUVs which reportedly can conduct surveillance and surveys down to depths of 6,000 metres (20,000 ft). [10] [15]

Conversion of Proteus was completed in September 2023 and the ship began post-conversion sea trials. [16] She formally entered service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in October 2023. [17] [10]

Design and facilities

RFA Proteus is a former offshore support vessel, Vard designed, the hull was constructed at their Tulcea shipyard in Romania and then fitted out at their Brattvåg facility in Norway, completed in 2019. Intended for work in the offshore oil industry its role was supporting relative construction, maintenance and inspection work and was already equipped to operate Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). [18]

The ship is capable of a top speed of 14 knots, but it has a typical cruising speed of 11 knots. It is equipped with 5 x Caterpillar diesel engines, these required to supply power for the ship, along with the stern azimuth thrusters, the twin bow tunnel thrusters and a drop-down azimuth bow thruster. It also has a Rolls-Royce Icon Dynamic Positioning system Class II, which enables the ship to remain stationary and includes an assigned operating control which overlooks the rear working deck. RFA Proteus is designed with Antiroll tanks, including pumps capable of moving ballast water between them, which counters any horizontal motion. [10]

The ships accommodation comprises fifty-three cabins with eighty-two bunks, these are split across twenty-four single cabins and twenty-nine double cabins. [10] A Royal Fleet Auxiliary crew of twenty-six will operate Proteus. This will be supplemented with approximately sixty Royal Navy specialists, who will be responsible for the undersea surveillance, survey and warfare systems operations. [3] The ship is equipped with a single cafeteria but there are several mess and lounge spaces for crew relaxation. [10]

The ship has a 7.2m2 opening moon pool enabling underwater vehicles to enter into or leave the water easily within a protected environment. This facility is located at the forward end of the working deck and the hatch cover is removed by crane. The AHC crane has a 3,000m long wire which enables objects to be directly lowered to the seabed. It has a safe working load of up to 120 tonnes and the working / cargo deck can carry loads totalling up to 1,400 tonnes. [10] The size of the working / cargo deck is 1,000m2 and Proteus is also equipped with a flight deck. [3]

There is hangar space for Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV)s, which runs across the ship for easy access between the port and starboard systems and the Launch and recovery system (LARS) can lower the underwater vehicles over either side. Proteus has an umbilical tether winch system, which carries the control, power and communications cables for equipment lowered, this comes from drums below decks and then up to the hangar, before connecting to the ROV through the LARS. Adjacent to the hangar are ROV workshops. [10]

Proteus is fitted with a multibeam echosounder (MBES) giving the ship a hydrographic capability and it has a number of work spaces available which could be used for operations rooms. [10]

Career and Operations

As of December 2023, it was reported that Proteus was not yet available for operations having yet to complete Operational Sea Training and being still required to return to Cammell Laird shipyard in the new year for dry docking and inspections. [19] Pursuant to the completion of work, Proteus reportedly sailed from Cammell Laird in March 2024 to resume her work-up. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Fleet Auxiliary</span> Naval auxiliary fleet which supports the Royal Navy

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a naval auxiliary fleet owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service and provides logistical and operational support to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The RFA ensures the Royal Navy is supplied and supported by providing fuel and stores through replenishment at sea, transporting Royal Marines and British Army personnel, providing medical care and transporting equipment and essentials around the world. In addition the RFA acts independently providing humanitarian aid, counter piracy and counter narcotic patrols together with assisting the Royal Navy in preventing conflict and securing international trade. They are a uniformed civilian branch of the Royal Navy staffed by British merchant sailors. The RFA is one of five RN fighting arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remotely operated underwater vehicle</span> A tethered underwater mobile device operated by a remote crew

A remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROUV) or remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is a free-swimming submersible craft used to perform underwater observation, inspection and physical tasks such as valve operations, hydraulic functions and other general tasks within the subsea oil and gas industry, military, scientific and other applications. ROVs can also carry tooling packages for undertaking specific tasks such as pull-in and connection of flexible flowlines and umbilicals, and component replacement.

RFA <i>Fort Austin</i> 1979 Fort Rosalie-class replenishment ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Fort Austin is a retired British Fort Rosalie-class dry stores ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

RFA <i>Fort Rosalie</i> (A385) Lead ship of her class of replenishment ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Fort Rosalie was the lead ship of her class of Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleet replenishment ships. Fort Rosalie was originally named RFA Fort Grange, but was renamed in May 2000 to avoid confusion with the now-decommissioned RFA Fort George. On 31 March 2021, the ship was withdrawn from service.

RFA <i>Fort Victoria</i> 1994 Fort Victoria-class replenishment oiler of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Fort Victoria is a Fort-class combined fleet stores ship and tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary of the United Kingdom tasked with providing ammunition, fuel, food and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world. She is now the only member of her class.

RFA <i>Cardigan Bay</i> Bay-class dock landing ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Cardigan Bay is a Bay-class landing ship dock of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Built by BAE Systems, the ship was dedicated into the RFA at the end of 2006.

Cammell Laird is a British shipbuilding company. It was formed from the merger of Laird Brothers of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century. The company also built railway rolling stock until 1929, when that side of the business was separated and became part of the Metropolitan-Cammell Carriage & Wagon Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Future of the Royal Navy</span> Overview about the future of the Royal Navy

Future planning of the Royal Navy's capabilities is set through periodic Defence Reviews carried out by the British Government. The Royal Navy's role in the 2020s, and beyond, is outlined in the 2021 defence white paper, which was published on 22 March 2021. The white paper is one component of the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, titled as Global Britain in a Competitive Age which was published on 16 March 2021.

HMS <i>Challenger</i> (K07) Royal Navy saturation diving support vessel

HMS Challenger was a Royal Navy diving support vessel, operational from 1984 to 1990.

<i>Fort Rosalie</i>-class replenishment ship Class of fleet replenishment vessel of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

The Fort Rosalie or Fort class of fleet replenishment vessel of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary were designed to replenish Royal Navy taskgroups with various armaments and victualling stores while under way. Unlike the bigger Fort Victoria class, they supply dry stores and not fuel. RFA Fort Rosalie was originally known as Fort Grange but was renamed in 2000 to avoid confusion with the new Fort Victoria-class replenishment oiler RFA Fort George. Both ships were withdrawn from service and later sold in 2021.

Subsea technology involves fully submerged ocean equipment, operations, or applications, especially when some distance offshore, in deep ocean waters, or on the seabed. The term subsea is frequently used in connection with oceanography, marine or ocean engineering, ocean exploration, remotely operated vehicle (ROVs) autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), submarine communications or power cables, seafloor mineral mining, oil and gas, and offshore wind power.

HMS <i>Protector</i> (A173) Research ship & Icebreaker of the Royal Navy

HMS Protector is a Royal Navy ice patrol ship built in Norway in mid 2000. As MV Polarbjørn she operated under charter as a polar research icebreaker and a subsea support vessel. In 2011, she was chartered as a temporary replacement for the ice patrol ship HMS Endurance and was purchased by the British Ministry of Defence in early September 2013. As DNV Ice Class 05 the vessel can handle first year ice up to 0.5 metres (20 in).

Tide-class tanker Class of four fast fleet tankers of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

The Tide-class tanker (formerly the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) project) is a class of four fast fleet tankers that entered service with the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary from 2017. The 37,000 t ships provide fuel, food, fresh water, ammunition and other supplies to Royal Navy vessels around the world. Norway ordered a similar 26,000 t version with a 48-bed hospital and greater solid stores capacity, but reduced liquid capacity; it was delivered in November 2018 as HNoMS Maud two years after originally planned. The two classes are very similar but are not directly comparable due to large variance in capabilities delivered.

RFA <i>Tidespring</i> (A136) 2017 Tide-class replenishment tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Tidespring is a Tide-class replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Built by DSME in 2016, the ship entered service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in November 2017.

RFA <i>Tiderace</i> (A137) 2018 Tide-class replenishment tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Tiderace is a Tide-class replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Ordered from DSME in 2012, she was officially named on 1 December 2016 and was accepted by the Ministry of Defence in June 2017. Tiderace entered service on 2 August 2018.

RFA <i>Tidesurge</i> (A138) 2019 Tide-class replenishment tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Tidesurge is a Tide-class replenishment tanker of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). Built by DSME in 2017, she entered service with the RFA on 20 February 2019.

The Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance Ship (MROSS) is a type of research and surveillance ship in development since 2021 for the United Kingdom's Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The first ship, RFA Proteus, is a commercial ship converted to the role which entered service in October 2023. The second ship is planned as a new build vessel. Both ships are to be used by the RFA to research and protect critical undersea national infrastructure, such as undersea cables and gas pipelines, in both British and international waters.

RFA <i>Stirling Castle</i> Mine Countermeasures Maritime Autonomous Systems ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Stirling Castle is a ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary operated by the Ministry of Defence. Acquired in 2023, the ship entered drydock at HMNB Devonport for modification into a trials platform for autonomous minehunting systems that are to operate from a larger mother ship. The ship was formerly named MV Island Crown, and used as an offshore supply vessel operated by Island Offshore. The vessel was sold to the Ministry of Defence in January 2023 for £40 million.

NRP D. João II, also known as the Multifunctional Naval Platform, will be a multipurpose ship for the Portuguese Navy, capable of carrying out surveillance operations, oceanographic research, environmental and meteorological monitoring, as well as emergency evacuation missions.

References

  1. ↑ "P&O Maritime takes big profit by selling subsea ship to UK government". Tradewinds. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "TOPAZ TANGAROA". DNV Vessel Register. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "UK protection enhanced as underwater surveillance ship enters service". Royal Navy. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 "First images of new Multi Role Ocean Support ship (MROS) renamed RFA Proteus". Navy Lookout. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  5. ↑ "TOPAZ TANGAROA (9792539)" . Equasis. Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy . Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Topaz Tangaroa". Vard Group AS. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 "Topaz Tangaroa – IMO 9792539". Scheepvaartwest. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  8. ↑ "RFA looks to Greek god Proteus to protect UK's underwater assets". Royal Navy. 2 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  9. ↑ "Organisation, Units & Squadrons RFA Proteus (K60)". royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "A guide to RFA Proteus – the UK's new seabed warfare vessel". Navy Lookout. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  11. ↑ "New mine-hunting support ship named". Royal Navy. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  12. ↑ "Van Oord Sends Cable Installation Fleet to Taiwan". offshoreWIND.biz. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  13. ↑ "First images of new Multi Role Ocean Support ship (MROS) renamed RFA Proteus". Navy Lookout. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  14. ↑ "Protecting seabed infrastructure – UK Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance Ship to be in service by 2023". Navy Lookout. 23 October 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  15. ↑ "Marine Robots". Kongsberg. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  16. ↑ @NavyLookout (16 September 2023). "@NavyLookout Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) @RFAProteus is finally due to leave @CammellLaird shipyard today following conversion work" (Tweet). Retrieved 16 September 2023– via Twitter.
  17. ↑ UK Details Delivery Timeframes And Capabilities For MROSS Ships, Lee Willet, Naval News, 31 May 2023.
  18. ↑ "UK purchases commercial vessel for conversion to ocean surveillance ship". navylookout.com. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  19. ↑ "Analysis: Royal Navy deploys seven ships on underwater infrastructure patrols". navylookout.com. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  20. ↑ @NavyLookout (12 March 2024). "@NavyLookout .@RFAProteus sailed from @CammellLaird shipyard in Birkenhead today on completion of certification period" (Tweet). Retrieved 13 March 2024– via Twitter.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.