The keel laying ceremony of the Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship (PPA) took place Tuesday at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia).
The PPA, first of seven units, will be delivered in 2021 and it is part of the renewal plan of the operational lines of the Italian Navy vessels, approved by the Government and Parliament and started in May 2015.
Vessel’s characteristics: PPA – Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship
The main feature of this class of ships is their high level of innovation, which makes them extremely flexible in the different operating profiles with a high degree of efficiency. In particular, these vessels have a dual use profile, the one typically military and the one for civil protection and rescue operations at sea; in addition they have a low environmental impact obtained with appropriate technological and manufacturing solutions, such as advanced low emission propulsion systems (electric motors).
There will be different configurations of combat system: starting from a “soft” version for the patrol task, integrated for self-defence ability, to a “full” one, equipped for a complete defence ability. The vessel is also capable of operating high-speed vessels such as RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) up to 11 meters long through lateral cranes or a hauling ramp located at the far stern.
- 132.5 meters long
- Speed more than 31 knots according to vessel configuration and operational conditions
- 173 persons of the crew
- Equipped with a combined diesel, a gas turbine plant (CODAG) and an electric propulsion system
- Capacity to supply drinking water to land
- Capacity to provide electricity to land with 2000 kw of power
- 2 modular zones at the stern and at the center of the ship that allow the embarking of various types of containerized operating/logistic/residential/healthcare modules (in particular, the stern area may receive and handle within a covered area up to 5 modules in ISO 20” containers, while the central zone may receive and handle up to 8 ISO 20” containers)
The PPAs will be built at the Integrated Shipyard of Riva Trigoso and Muggiano, with delivery expected, for the first vessel of the class, in 2021, while the following deliveries will take place in 2022, 2023, 2024 (two units), 2025 and 2026.
Source: Fincantieri