South Korea wins Navy tanker deal

22 February 2012 Last updated at 10:45 ET

The tankers will allow destroyers such as HMS Dauntless to refuel at sea

The Royal Navy has chosen South Korean firm Daewoo for a £452m deal to build four new fuel tankers.

The 37,000 tonne Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) tankers will allow the Royal Navy to refuel at sea.

The tankers, which are due to enter service in 2016, will each measure 200 metres in length and replace models that date back to the 1970s.

UK firms took part in the tender, but the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said none made a final bid to take part.

Despite being built in Korea, the UK has won £150m of associated contracts to assist the project.

These include £90m on UK contracts for equipment, systems, design and support services.

There will be a further £60m investment in the UK to be spent on customising the boats for the Royal Navy, trials and specialist engineering help.

The winning design of the four tankers has been completed by UK company BMT Defence Services, based in Bath.

Each will be able to fill the equivalent of two Olympic-sized swimming pools in an hour.

'Exceptionally versatile'

Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, Peter Luff, said: "Over the next decade, the government will be investing billions of pounds in our maritime capabilities to ensure that our Royal Navy remains a formidable fighting force.

"This project will inject up to £150m into UK industry and support and maintenance will also be carried out in the UK.

"The government remains committed to building complex warships in UK shipyards."

Chief of Defence Materiel, Bernard Gray, said: "The MARS tanker is an exceptionally versatile platform; able to simultaneously refuel an aircraft carrier and destroyer whilst undertaking helicopter resupply of other vessels".

22 Feb, 2012

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Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/business-17127488
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