MAN Diesel & Turbo to power Royal Australian Navy oilers

he RAN's new fleet support tankers are based on the Spanish Navy's SPS Cantabria, commissioned in 2010. In the picture, the Cantabria (center) is simultaneously refueling a minor vessel and (right) the Juan Carlos I, the Spanish Navy's multi-purpose amphibious assault ship and largest vessel

MARCH 21, 2017 — MAN Diesel & Turbo has won another significant naval support vessel contract. Spanish shipbuilder Navantia, has chosen MAN main and genset engines to power two fleet-support-tanker newbuildings it is currently constructing for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

Each vessel will feature two MAN 18V 32/40 main engines and four MAN 7L21/31 gensets with shipset deliveries scheduled for December 2017 and June 2018, respectively.

As we reported previously, the U.S. Navy has chosen the Fairbanks Morse MAN 12V48/60CR engine as main propulsion for its new T-AO 205 class of fleet oilers.

“”We are currently receiving a lot of enquiries within the Navy and Governmental segment for MAN engines and, indeed, experiencing solid interest in the form of orders,” says Lex Nijsen – Head of Four-Stroke Marine – MAN Diesel & Turbo. “As with the engines they replace, these Royal Australian Navy newbuildings are also powered by MAN units. We welcome the repeat business and feel it stands testament to the quality of our portfolio.”

The Navantia order was made under the auspices of the RAN’s SEA 1654 program, Phase 3 of which includes the replacement of existing supply ship, HMAS Sirius – powered by MAN Diesel & Turbo two-stroke engines. Navantia offered the RAN a design proposal based on the Spanish Navy’s proven, auxiliary-oiler replenishment ship SPS Cantabria.