PT PAL prepares to deliver Indonesia's second purpose-built hospital ship

Indonesian state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL will deliver the country's second purpose-built hospital ship to the Indonesian Navy on 14 January, a spokesperson from the company has confirmed with Janes .

The vessel, which will be in service as KRI Dr Wahidin Sudirohusodo (991) once commissioned, completed the contract milestone known as Commodore Inspection on 10 January. It is the final milestone before the vessel is ceremonially handed over to the navy.

As part of the Commodore Inspection, Dr Wahidin Sudirohusodo was made to undergo its final harbour and sea acceptance tests, with senior Indonesian Navy officials onboard. During these tests, several performance parameters of the vessel were validated in the Madura Strait. These included turning circle tests, ‘Z' manoeuvring tests, and crash stop tests.

During these tests, Dr Wahidin Sudirohusodo was able to attain a top speed of 22 kt at 90% of its engines' maximum continuous rating (MCR). This exceeds the contractual obligation, which specifies a maximum speed of 19 kt at 90% MCR, said PT PAL.

Additionally, the Indonesian Navy landed a Bell 412 helicopter on Dr Wahidin Sudirohusodo 's flight deck as part of the tests to validate the vessel's stability and familiarise its crew with the ship's aviation capabilities. The ship's navigation radars, communication systems, and basic healthcare facilities were also tested, PT PAL added.

Dr Wahidin Sudirohusodo has an overall length of 124 m, an overall beam of 22 m, and a hull draught of 5 m. It can accommodate a crew of up to 120, including 16 aviation-specific personnel. During medical and humanitarian relief missions the hospital ship can also embark an additional 89 hospital staff, 163 bedridden patients, and 280 seated evacuees.