Singapore Airshow 2022: ST Engineering debuts hospital ship concept

A model of ST Engineering's hospital ship at Singapore Airshow 2022. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)

Singapore's state-affiliated engineering company ST Engineering has unveiled a hospital ship concept at the 2022 edition of the Singapore Airshow.

The concept is being marketed as an afloat humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) as well as a medical evacuation platform. It is based on the company's 160 m roll-on/roll-off passenger vessel (ROPAX) MV Nova Star , which was supplied to Polish ferry operator Polferries in 2019.

The vessel has an overall length of 161 m, an overall beam of 25.6 m, and a draught of 6.2 m. It has a gross tonnage of about 27,744 tonnes and features about 6,853 sq m of deck space that can be utilised for HADR operations.

The ship can accommodate a helicopter on the uppermost deck for the ambulation of incapacitated patients. Additionally, the vessel can receive casualties from land vehicles that can shuttle between the ship and disaster-struck areas via a roll-on/roll-off ramp at the stern.

The vessel is powered by dual-fuel (LNG) engines that are fully compliant with International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 sulphur emission standards, which enables the vessel to operate within International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)-designated emission control area (ECA) zones.

In terms of carrying capacity, the vessel has eight decks that can accommodate between 400 and 500 medical beds in total, depending on the operator's requirements. Besides medical wards, the vessel can also be configured for various facilities associated with HADR missions including triage rooms, trauma centres, and emergency operating theatres.