Vestdavit secures four-ship davit contract with French Navy
Leading boat-handling systems supplier Vestdavit has won a tender from Chantiers de l’Atlantique to supply davit systems for four new logistic support ships due delivery to the French Navy under the FLOTLOG (Flotte Logistique) programme, the company said in its release.
The modern, double-hulled vessels will ultimately replace the Navy’s current, single-hulled LSSs and will be deployed to support France’s blue-sea combat fleet commitment to OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation). Vestdavit will supply two PLD-6000 A-frame davits for interception craft and a single PL-3600R davit for fast rescue per ship to ensure safety and crew comfort in missions worldwide in unforgiving seas. With the first vessel to be handed over by the end of 2022, deliveries will be completed by 2029.
Vestdavit also works with other major French-owned yards and aims to reinforce its presence in France. Vestdavit’s PLD-6000 type davit is designed specifically for the flexibility and speed needed by interception vessels and can handle everything from leisure craft to work boats. It has a load-bearing capacity of up to six tons and remains effective even beyond sea state 5.
Thanks to Vestdavit’s modular design, the PLD-6000 can be equipped with a docking head and guiding arms and to handle unmanned surface vessels (USVs) or underwater autonomous vehicles (UAV's) if required. Meanwhile, the PL-3600R davit is designed for fast rescue craft and has a safe working load of 3.6 tons. Fully equipped with shock absorbers, guiding arms and a self-tension system as standard, the PL-3600R ensures stability in conditions up to and including sea state 5.
With the LSS-types expected to operate for 40 years, Vestdavit project lead Redouane Lahsen says that the shipyard’s selection criteria demanded launch-and-recovery systems that would be built to last and allow easy, low-cost maintenance.
ABOUT VESTDAVIT:
Vestdavit designs, supplies and supports tailor-made solutions for launching and recovering boats in difficult conditions at sea. Its range of boat-handling systems and davits are the first choice of navies, coastguards, seismic survey operators, pilot authorities and offshore operators who need to be able to operate small boats safely from larger vessels. Since 1975, Bergen-based Vestdavit has supplied over 2000 davits and side and stern launch systems. These have proved themselves over more than four decades of use in the North Sea and other harsh environments around the world. Self-tensioning and shock-absorbing systems ensure crew safety and widen the operational window for the user. Vestdavit’s key focus is on operational effectiveness, safety and the reliability of its equipment.