DGA Accepts Delivery of 1st Offshore Support and Assistance Vessel BSAH Loire.

The French defence procurement agency (DGA) accepted delivery of the first BSAH (Bâtiments de Soutien et d’Assistance Hauturiers or offshore support and assistance vessels) "Loire" built by KERSHIP, a joint venture created by Piriou shipyards and Naval Group, on March 22nd 2018.

The French defence procurement agency (DGA) accepted delivery of the first BSAH (Bâtiments de Soutien et d’Assistance Hauturiers or offshore support and assistance vessels) "Loire" built by KERSHIP. KERSHIP picture.

On this occasion, Vincent Faujour, President of KERSHIP, "welcomes the excellent collaborative work between the contractor and state teams, which today allows the French Navy to have a unique and versatile tool, true "4X4 all terrain vehicle" of the seas, to ensure a very broad spectrum of missions of support of the forces, police of the seas and maritime safeguard".

The delivery of the second unit, BSAH RHÔNE, is scheduled for the summer of 2018 and that of the 3rd and 4th units, SEINE and GARONNE in early 2019.

BSAH LOIRE joined its port in Toulon in November 2017, where for information and command systems integration. The contractual and qualification tests took place in coordination with the state resources provided by the DGA and the French Navy.

BSAH Missions
The diversity of the missions led Kership to propose a Supply Vessel with a towing capacity of 80 tons of traction, a navigation speed of 14 knots and a significant endurance of about 30 days without refueling or resuply operations. They will be equipped with an 8 meters boat, several RHIBs and a crane for loading and unloading containers. BSAH will be able to accommodate divers, to carry weapons and ammunitions, to support submarines and surface ships, to tow underwater antennas, as well as to deploy a pollution control dam.

BSAH main caracteritics
Lengrh Overall: 70,30 m
Breadth: 15.80 m
Draft: 5.00 m
Deadweight: approx. 1000 T
Loading area on deck: 250 m²
Speed: 14 knots
Hull / superstructure: Steel
Amenities: 17 (crew) + 12 passengers
Engine: 2 x 2 650 kilowatts
Generators: 2 x 300 kWe