Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

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SKB
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Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

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Point Class (Sealift Ships)
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^ MV Longstone

Introduction
The Point class is a class of six roll-on/roll-off sealift ships originally procured under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) to be available for use as naval auxiliaries to the British armed forces. Two of the ships have now been released from the contract, leaving four available for service with the military.

Background
The Point-class sealift ships are the result of the Strategic Defence Review and are designed by Houlder Ltd for the strategic transport of military cargoes and vehicles in times of need. The UK Ministry of Defence has purchased a 22-year charter from Foreland Shipping (previously named "AWSR Shipping"), who own, operate and crew the ships, utilising them as merchantmen when they are not required for military service. The small British crews are provided by Foreland Shipping and are required to be sponsored reserves as a condition of service, which means they can be called up to become part of the Armed Forces in times of crisis. The benefits of this is that it guarantees crews in times of crisis, it means crew members can be expected to work under the Armed Forces Act 2006 rather than the Merchant Navy Code of Conduct, and that they would be classed as combatants and be afforded the rights granted under the Geneva Convention.

Of the six ships, MV Longstone and Beachy Head were on charter to the civilian company "Transfennica" operating a RoRo cargo ferry service in the Baltic Sea, connecting Hanko in Finland and Lübeck in Germany. Most recently they have been operating on the Immingham to Cuxhaven route for DFDS. Other ships have also been involved in commercial activity with other companies and other militaries. All ships are available to the UK MOD at very short notice if required. The first four ships have been kept almost constantly busy on MoD duties since the build-up to the Iraq invasion in 2003, but MV Longstone and Beachy Head have seen little MoD service and in the current budget environment are likely to be sold.

Four ships were built by the German company Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft, the balance being built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast. All are named for British points and headlands. They replaced the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries RFA Sea Centurion and Sea Crusader in service.

Operational history
MV Hartland Point was part of the COUGAR 12 Response Force Task Group and also active in operations off the Cornish coast in 2012. MV Hurst Point made a port call at Gibraltar in August 2013 and is part of the COUGAR 13 Response Force Task Group.

Private Finance Initiative Status
According to a Defence Select Committee report, "Four of the Ro-Ro ships are permanently contracted to the MoD with the other two at notice for MoD tasking. For the two ships at notice, one can be accessed in 20 days and the other in 30 days."

In the Autumn of 2011, it was stated that the two ships at short notice would be released from the PFI, leaving four ships available for use by the MoD. The ships released were the MV Beachy Head and the MV Longstone, and the RMT union was informed that these vessels would be laid up or sold.

Ships Of Class

1. MV Hurst Point - Commissioned 16 August 2002
2. MV Eddystone - Commissioned 28 November 2002
3. MV Hartland Point - Commissioned 11 December 2002
4. MV Anvil Point - Commissioned 17 January 2003

MV Beachy Head - Commissioned 17 April 2003 (No Longer Available To MOD Since 2011)
MV Longstone - Commissioned 24 April 2003 (No Longer Available To MOD Since 2011)


Type: Roll-on/roll-off
Displacement: 23,000 tonnes full load
Length: 193.0 m (633.2 ft)
Beam: 26.0 m (85.3 ft)
Draught: 7.6 m (25 ft)
Propulsion: 2 x MaK 94M43 diesels; 21,700 hp. 2 propellers, bow thruster
Speed: 21.5 knots (39.8 km/h)
Range: 9,200 nautical miles (17,000 km) at 21.5 knots (39.8 km/h)
Capacity: 14,200 dwt
2,650 linear metres of space for vehicles
130 armoured vehicles and 60 trucks and ammunition or 8,000 tonnes of vehicles
Sensors and processing systems: I-band navigation radar
Armament: None
Aviation facilities: Can carry up to four helicopters including Chinnok, Merlin and Lynx.

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SKB
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Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

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Image
^ MV Hartland Point



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Gabriele
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Re: Point Class Sealift Ship (Naval Auxiliries)

Post by Gabriele »

17 and 165 Port and Maritime Regiments have been working with a Point and Challenger 2s, from this facebook post:

Image



A Point class goes to Mare Harbour in the Falklands every six weeks, carrying spares and food and everything else the islands need. It then leaves loaded with tens of containers filled with wool, the island's main export!

Mare Harbour is getting a refurbishment with a new jetty for better interface with the Point, and a new small boats area.

The fuel depots instead are resupplied by the Maersk Rapier, which is a civilian tanker on permanent MOD charter, used to move fuel between MOD depots and bases, from the Falklands to Cyprus etcetera.
You might also know me as Liger30, from that great forum than MP.net was.

Arma Pacis Fulcra.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

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SKB
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Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

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Maersk Rapier (Auxilary Tanker)
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Introduction
MV Maersk Rapier is a commercial product tanker owned by the A.P. Moller–Maersk Group and chartered to the United Kingdoms Ministry of Defence (MoD). The vessel serves as the primary strategic link for the collection and transportation of purchased fuel from oil refineries to British and NATO fuel depots.

MoD charter
Maersk Rapier is tasked with supplying fuel to the United Kingdoms various naval establishments at home and overseas. The vessel operates principally in the British, Atlantic and Mediterranean regions and provides aviation fuel to various RAF stations, including RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, the airbridge connection at Ascension Island and Mount Pleasant in the Falklands. The MoD sub-charters the vessel (known as 3rd party trading) to commercial companies during rare periods where she is not in use for defence purposes. The operations at the Falklands and Ascension require the use of specialist floating hoses. At the Falklands the fuel is discharged through an SBM at Mare Harbour. The vessel also regularly serves the NATO fueling station at Loch Striven and occasionally the fuel jetties at Garelochhead, Gosport and Plymouth. The vessel primarily carries a combination of Aviation Fuel for the Royal Air Force and high grade Diesel for the Royal Navy.

The Maersk Rapier has been under permanent charter with the MoD since 2003. Still in service as of 2014.The commercial contract to carry fuel for the MoD has also been extended to other Maersk vessels in the past. From 1982 to 2003 the vessels Maersk Ascension and Maersk Gannet were also on permanent time charter to the MoD.

Tonnage: 35,000 DWT
Length: 171.2m
Beam: 27.42m
Speed: 15.5kts


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Re: Naval Auxiliries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

Post by marktigger »

was reading at one point the Sir class LSL and their predecessors and some of the RFA transport fleet RFA Hebe and Bacchaus were operated by civilian shipping company

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Re: Naval Auxiliries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

The most famous Sir (after the Falklands damage was repaired) is serving in Brazil
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
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Re: Naval Auxiliries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

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Re: Naval Auxiliries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

This could fool anybody?
"RFA Sir Galahad was built by Swan Hunter and entered service in 1988. She was named and given the identical pennant number to the Sir Galahad sunk in the Falklands War."
off to Brazil in 2007, one more to add to their capacity on its way from France now
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

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Re: Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

Post by SKB »

Image

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Re: Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

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Tempest414
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Point class sea lift

Post by Tempest414 »

Dose anyone know how much it cost to build a Point class ship

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SKB
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Re: Point class sea lift

Post by SKB »

We have a Point Class related thread already: Naval Auxiliries (MOD Chartered/Leased).
https://www.ukdefenceforum.net/viewtopic.php?p=7490

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Re: Point class sea lift

Post by Tempest414 »

SKB wrote: 19 Dec 2022, 16:00 We have a Point Class related thread already: Naval Auxiliries (MOD Chartered/Leased).
https://www.ukdefenceforum.net/viewtopic.php?p=7490
Thanks but it dose not answer my question as too the build cost of a Point class

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Re: Point class sea lift

Post by bobp »

Dont know the answer to that. The point class were built over 20 years ago under a PFI agreement so the information could be confidential.

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Re: Point class sea lift

Post by tomuk »

They were costing £30 million a year at one point and it was suggested hat the total PFI would come to £800m over the 25? years. Of course two of the ships were leased out and then eventually sold so what the current cost is I'm not sure.

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Re: Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

Post by SKB »


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Re: Naval Auxiliries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

Post by bobp »

The title of this thread is misspelt try using the word "auxilaries" instead. :lolno:
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Re: Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

Post by Ron5 »

SKB wrote: 29 Dec 2022, 08:29
Why are they there?

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Re: Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

Post by new guy »

Not direct 1 for 1 relevancy, but highlights the technology that will be widespread when the Point class needs to get replaced:

https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/pres ... sion-ships
The fleet renewal also supports Airbus ambition to increase A320 family production rate to 75 aircraft per month by 2026. Each new transatlantic vessel will have the capacity to transport around seventy 40-foot containers and six single-aisle aircraft sub assembly sets - wings, fuselage, engine pylons, horizontal and vertical tail planes - compared to three to four sets with current cargo ships.
https://www.theoceanbird.com/blog/chall ... nd-design/
It will have a capacity for approx. 7,000 cars but will also be capable of carrying breakbulk and rolling equipment. The vessel will be approx. 220 meter long, 40 meter wide and 70 meter heigh above water. The ambition is to commence sailing in early 2027.

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Re: Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

Post by tomuk »

new guy wrote: 28 Oct 2023, 16:51 Not direct 1 for 1 relevancy, but highlights the technology that will be widespread when the Point class needs to get replaced:

https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/pres ... sion-ships
The fleet renewal also supports Airbus ambition to increase A320 family production rate to 75 aircraft per month by 2026. Each new transatlantic vessel will have the capacity to transport around seventy 40-foot containers and six single-aisle aircraft sub assembly sets - wings, fuselage, engine pylons, horizontal and vertical tail planes - compared to three to four sets with current cargo ships.
https://www.theoceanbird.com/blog/chall ... nd-design/
It will have a capacity for approx. 7,000 cars but will also be capable of carrying breakbulk and rolling equipment. The vessel will be approx. 220 meter long, 40 meter wide and 70 meter heigh above water. The ambition is to commence sailing in early 2027.
Not sure what the relevance of this is. Both projects are for transporting high value components or high value finished products . They are flagship projects with a good helping of greenwashing. Completely opposite to the Points which are value for money (in ship terms, we will ignore the PFI elment), workhorse ships.
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Re: Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

Post by new guy »

Either a work boat or a USV is being carried by Anvil Point as seen in pic 3


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Re: Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

Post by donald_of_tokyo »

new guy wrote: 27 Mar 2024, 20:55 Either a work boat or a USV is being carried by Anvil Point as seen in pic 3

You have Great eyes. SEA class workboat or ARCIMS USV (which is a very close sister of SEA class WB), at the middle of the cargo deck.
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Re: Naval Auxiliaries (MOD Chartered/Leased)

Post by new guy »

The USV/Workboat is Still onboard apon departure to cape town.

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