In Papenburg, the engines for the construction of the first of two replenishment oilers (MBV) were fired up today. The two supply vessels for the German Navy will be built under the lead management of Bremen-based NVL Group in cooperation with Meyer Werft. They will replace the RHÖN Class units. They are due to be launched at the beginning of 2025.
With the cutting of the first steel plate, the contract which was signed in mid-2021 between the customer and industry partners will begin. The platforms will be built, commissioned and go on sea trials at the Meyer Werft Neptun shipyard in Rostock. As the prime contractor, NVL Group will be responsible for the project management, the naval-specific parts of the platform and deployment systems and extensive services to establish supply readiness, which will ensure that the vessels operate well within the logistic system of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr).
“The start of production of the new replenishment oilers marks the renewal of building tankers for us. We are ensuring the sustainability of our maritime Task Forces by supplying military fuel on the high seas, while at the same time meeting current environmental protection standards and, above all, making a significant contribution to both national and allied defences. Furthermore, I am delighted that NVL Group, together with Meyer Werft, are two German shipyards, which are having a fundamental impact on sustaining these capabilities with their knowledge and experience.” said Annette Lehnigk-Emden, President of the Federal Office for German Armed Forces Equipment Information Technology and In-Service Support (Bundesamtes für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik & Nutzung der Bundeswehr -BAAINBw).
The 173-metre-long 707 Class naval tankers, with a core crew of 42 and an additional embarkation contingent of 23, will undertake offshore fuel supply and correspondingly increase the deployment time of naval vessels in the respective operational area. The 20,000-ton displacement fleet tankers will be capable of refuelling on both sides and therefore also two ships at the same time.
“After the design phase, we are very happy to finally be able to begin with production and also to have Meyer Werft on board as an experienced partner in the construction of ships of this size“, emphasised Tim Wagner, CEO of the NVL Group. „This rigorous design phase also clearly shows that the replenishment oilers are not simple tankers but specialised naval vessels with numerous respective military requirements.“
„We are very pleased to be able to contribute our decades of experience in building specialised tankers to this challenging project. Today’s start of production illustrates an important milestone in the realisation of this complex new build project,“ highlighted Jan Meyer, Managing Director of Meyer Werft.
