Launch of two state-of-the-art mine warfare vessels for the Indonesian Navy
KRI Pulau Fani – 731 · KRI Pulau Fanildo – 732
When Henry Rasmussen designed the shipyard’s first minesweeper more than 100 years ago, no one could have imagined the success story it would become. Construction number 823, a small 16.5-metre minesweeper, was commissioned in 1917. Since then, more than 360 minesweepers have been delivered to navies all over the world; Abeking & Rasmussen was also involved in all the German Navy’s minesweepers. The shipyard is therefore even more pleased that an “old acquaintance” is currently undergoing an extensive refit. The minehunter “Fulda” (MJ 332) was commissioned in 1998 and is now celebrating its 25th birthday at A&R. These vessels, which were state-of-the-art at the time, served as the model for the current order, which was recently delivered. They were the first minesweepers in the world to be built from non-magnetisable steel. Until the delivery of the Class 343 Fast Minesweepers to the German Navy in 1988, this steel was mainly used in submarine construction. For the complex processing on surface units new ways had to be found, making A&R one of the most experienced shipyards in this field.
In 2020, the Indonesian Navy signed a contract for the construction of two state-of-the-art mine warfare vessels. Just 3 years after the contract was signed, these two vessels were delivered on time.
Hull numbers 6508 and 6509 („KRI Pulau Fani – 731“ and „KRI Pulau Fanildo – 732“) are currently on the dock ship „Combi Dock I“ on their way to their deployment area. There they will be commissioned by A&R personnel and the Indonesian Navy.
With their sensors and effectors, the non-magnetisable steel units are considered to be the most advanced minehunters in the world.
Due to the material used the boats have a minimal magnetic signature and the material has also proven to be excellent in the event of damage or fire. In addition, shock resistance, e.g. to mine explosions, is guaranteed to last longer than any other material, even after decades of service. The bow thruster and variable-pitch propeller not only ensure excellent manoeuvrability, especially during minehunting operations; the maximum speed of more than 20 knots also opens up other operational possibilities, such as the protection of maritime borders.
According to the principle „Manned in the minefield if necessary – Unmanned if possible“ two Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) in combination with a Hull Mounted Sonar ensure that all phases of the mine warfare chain (detection, classification, identification, destruction) can be successfully completed.
The size of the units and the measures taken allow for the integration of other unmanned systems on board in the future.
A new feature for Abeking & Rasmussen was the training of the two future crews. A warehouse was converted into a training centre. With more than 100 crew members of the two minehunting vessels, the training took place over 4 weeks at the shipyard. The crew members were familiarised with the systems and technologies on board. In addition, there were daily theoretical sessions at the training centre, combined with practical sessions on board, to prepare the crew as best as possible for the forthcoming takeover. The training content was provided by A&R staff and system suppliers. This was complemented by a Harbour Sail and Safety Training for each crew where the systems were tested and demonstrated while underway and all safety equipment was demonstrated.
“We are very pleased and proud of the outcome of the Mine Counter Measure project and look forward to taking delivery of the two vessels in Indonesia. Abeking & Rasmussen’s construction process has been carried out on time, on budget and with good quality. We very much appreciated the excellent cooperation and teamwork. Lemwerder and the A&R family made us feel at home! We will treasure the memories of the last 3 years. We will stay in touch.” Oky Iskandar Zulkarnain (Commander of the Task Force for the Procurement of MCMVs for the Indonesian Navy).
Matthias Hellmann (CEO of Abeking & Rasmussen) was also moved during the handover ceremony:
„Over the past 3 years we have come to appreciate the partnership with the SATGAS team (construction supervision). Many discussions have given us a deep insight into their working methods and culture. It was a great pleasure for us to welcome many high-level delegations during the construction period. At the handover ceremony we were able to show the ships to the Chief of the Navy, the Deputy Minister of Defence and the Ambassador. A big thank you also goes to all our staff who did an outstanding job, especially during the Corona pandemic.“With the loading of the two ships in Bremerhaven, the work at Abeking & Rasmussen is largely finished. Many employees were able to say goodbye to the SATGAS team at a joint BBQ. It was a particularly emotional moment as they had to say goodbye to part of the A&R family.
