Damen Schelde Naval Schipbuilding has awarded classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) the classification and statutory certification of its state-of-the-art Antarctic Supply Research Vessel (ASRV) with icebreaking capabilities.
The ASRV will be built for Australian company DMS Maritime, a wholly owned subsidiary of Serco, responsible for the delivery, operation and maintenance of the vessel on behalf of the Australian Government.
Exploring the Southern Ocean and Antarctica
The ASRV is to facilitate Australia’s wider exploration of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. The vessel will be 156 metres in length, with a beam of 25.6 metres. It will be able to break ice up 1.65 metres at speeds of 3 knots and will supply Australia’s permanent research stations in Antarctica and Macquarie Island with cargo, equipment and personnel.
Designed with 500 m2 on board laboratory and office facilities, the vessel will also serve to conduct research activities. The ASRV will host up to 32 DMS Maritime crew and as many as 116 scientific personnel as well as a doctor, in climate controlled accommodation.
Australian Antarctic Programme
The Australian Antarctic Programme advances Australia’s scientific, strategic, environmental and economic interests in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. It is a world-class programme focused on stewardship, climate research and the study of both terrestrial and marine eco-systems.
Polar Code Expertise
The realisation of this vessel will draw upon a number of entities and offices within both LR and the Damen Shipyards Group. Engineering and project management is being delivered by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) in Vlissingen, the Netherlands, in close co-operation with LR's Technical Support Office in Rotterdam, Southampton and their Polar Code expertise from their Helsinki office.
Damen Shipyards Galati
Construction and outfitting of the vessel will be carried out at Damen Shipyards Galati, Romania, with the local LR Office carrying out the required surveys. After completion, the ASRV will sail to DSNS in the Netherlands for handover to DMS Maritime to commence operations on behalf of the Australian Antarctic Division, scheduled for April 2020.
