JFD to supply new DSRV for South Korea's ASR-II submarine rescue ship

UK-based subsea engineering, operations, and services group JFD has been contracted by South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) for the design and build of a Deep Search and Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) to equip the Republic of Korea Navy’s (RoKN’s) new auxiliary submarine rescue ship (ASR-II).

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration awarded DSME a KRW444 billion (USD392 million) contract in December 2018 for the construction of ASR-II as a replacement for the submarine rescue ship RoKS Cheonghaejin. The 5,200-tonne vessel is expected to be delivered to the RoKN by the end of 2022.

The new DSRV, derived from the third-generation rescue vehicle design recently supplied by JFD to the Indian Navy, has been designed to maximise battery capacity and operational endurance. This ensures minimal time is spent recharging the vehicle’s batteries, enabling the DSRV to be deployed more quickly in the event of an incident.

According to JFD, the new DSRV – to be rated for operations down to 500 m – will be launched and recovered from ASR-II through a ‘moonpool’ in the centre of the ship. The company said that it has “extensive experience in launch and recovery via a moonpool through its years of delivering advanced saturation diving systems and diving bells through similar facilities”.

Prior to delivery, scheduled for 2021, the DSRV will undergo a comprehensive series of tests and trials including factory, harbour, and sea acceptance trials. JFD will also provide training and support.