Lloyd's Register (LR) has been selected to provide assurance and certification services to Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group (HZ) for two significant naval projects with the Algerian Naval Force and the Royal Thai Navy, LR said in its release.
The Algerian Naval Force project, consisting of a 96-metre Corvette will be designed and constructed to LR's Naval Ship Rules. The Corvette is designed for operations including patrol, escort and protection of maritime interests within the nation's Exclusive Economic Zone. The Corvette incorporates a helipad and a crew of 78 people, has a range of 3,500 nautical miles and is capable of top speeds in excess of 27 knots. It is scheduled for delivery in 2022.
The second project, a 210-metre Landing Platform Dock (LPD) ship for the Royal Thai Navy, can carry up to 800 marines and 20 amphibious vehicles, and has a well-deck that can deploy up to four Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) vehicles - or hovercrafts - of approximately 150 tonnes each. The ship is also fitted with two large hangars that can carry up to four helicopters and a flight deck that can operate two helicopters. The expected delivery date of the LPD ship is 2023.
In addition to its more traditional role in military amphibious operations, the Royal Thai Navy will also use the LPD ship for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions. The ship is an export variant of LPDs currently in service with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, which are also being built at HZ. LR will provide design and construction certification services to HZ in accordance with LR's Naval Ship Rules.
"Being selected to collaborate on these naval vessels is testament to our longstanding relationship with Hudong-Zhonghua and both navies. We successfully completed work on two 95 m Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) for the Thai Navy between 2003-2006 and supported the construction of three 28,000 tonne Corvettes for the Algerian Navy between 2013 and 2016" said LR head of greater China Maogen Xue.
David Lloyd, LR's Global Naval Business Director said: "We are delighted to have been chosen by Hudong-Zhonghua to support them in these two very different projects, demonstrating LR's ability to provide flexible, tailored naval assurance and certification services that support our clients in the best manner possible. This also attests to the strong relationship between the two companies, as well as the mutual desire to expand the considerable experience in naval shipbuilding the partnership will bring to navies around the world."