Rolls-Royce announced on 6 March that it has been awarded a contract by Cantiere Navale Vittoria to supply a marine propulsion package for the new offshore patrol vessel (OPV) under construction for the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM).

The 1800t, 74.8m twin-screw vessel will feature a Rolls-Royce scope of supply that includes a pair of PROMAS controllable pitch propellers and rudders, SC722 FCP steering gear, a TT1300 bow thruster, a TT100 stern thruster, fin stabilisers and a touch-screen remote control system that incorporates the novel CanMan Touch Joystick for all units.

The company will also integrate the various operation modes of the hybrid diesel-electric-propulsion modes via a power take-in for lower patrolling speeds of up to 12kts, ensuring lower through-life operating costs.

“This is a significant order from a long-standing customer of Rolls-Royce. Having supplied Cantiere Navale Vittoria with equipment for many of its smaller 40-metre patrol and coastguard vessels for which the yard is noted, we are delighted to now assist the shipbuilder in meeting market demand for larger vessels. Vittoria intends to be a significant player in this market,” commented Rolls-Royce Area Sales Manager, Kamewa Naval Propellers, Lars Johansson. “We are also delighted to further strengthen our cooperation with the Armed Forces of Malta, having assisted them over the years to maintain Kamewa water jets forming part of the propulsion system of two Search and Rescue launches.”

“We specified the Rolls-Royce integrated systems package following an international tender. As the P71 has been designed to provide sustained, efficient operations for many years to come, the Rolls-Royce equipment will provide enhanced manoeuvrability capability to the vessel. The propulsion systems the company will supply provide enhanced positioning capability, allowing close-range manoeuvres,” added Cantieri Navale Vittoria Sales Director, Luigi Chinappi.

The vessel will be designed to conduct border control operations in addition to other duties such as search and rescue, replenishment-at-sea and helicopter operations.

A key advantage to operations will be the portable Rolls-Royce CanMan Touch Joystick, which navigating officers can use to manoeuvre the ship remotely from the bridge wings in addition to conventional/independent propulsion controls. It is suitable for a wide range of vessels to control and monitor engines, fixed pitch and controllable pitch propellers and systems with multiple bow and stern tunnel thrusters.

When delivered in 2020, P71 will be the largest patrol vessel to emerge from the Vittoria shipyard and the flagship of the AFM, complementing the OPV P61 SAETTIA-class patrol vessel, fulfilling AFM’s requirement for a vessel with greater endurance, sea-keeping and manoeuvring capabilities and improved life-cycle costs, including fuel consumption and maintenance.