Chile Readies Multi-Role Icebreaker

The Canadian-designed, diesel-electric newbuild will herald a new era of Chilean scientific research as well as providing logistic support for the country’s four permanent stations in the Antarctic and assuming a search and rescue (SAR) role throughout the region.

Certified by Lloyd’s Register to Polar 5 ice class standard, the twin-screw Almirante Viel will be capable of maintaining navigation at three knots through 1m of ice cover with a 20cm layer of snow.

Based on the 9-series 203 type developed by Vancouver-based VARD Marine, part of the Fincantieri Group, the US$221m newbuild is expected to be commissioned in 2024, ready for her first deployment during the austral summer of 2024/2025.

Constructed under the Antartica 1 programme, and the largest ship to date from state-owned ASMAR, the vessel will join the Chilean Navy as the replacement for 90m Almirante Oscar Viel, retired in 2019. The latter had been in service with the navy since 1995 and was originally the Canadian Coast Guard ship Norman McLeod Rogers, dating from 1969.

The design was drawn up in accordance with the various parties committed to the national Antarctic effort, notably the Chilean Antarctic Institute, Army, Navy and Air Force. As a consequence, Almirante Viel has the capacity to extend the Antarctic campaigns, strengthen Chilean surveillance of the maritime zone, and conduct high-level scientific studies with the ship’s multiplicity of acoustic sensors, sampling systems and microbiological, macrobiological and chemical laboratories.

The multi-genset installation delivers electrical energy to a pair of propulsion motors acting on twin shafts turning open propellers. The steep rake of the underwater part of the strengthened bow will facilitate continuous progress through ice, while a powerful tunnel thruster at the turn of the keel confers the requisite manoeuvrability.

Twin Commander ram-type electro-hydraulic steering gears, twin Atlantic semi-spade rudders and twin stern tube casting parts were supplied by Damen Marine Components.

GE Marine Solutions was contracted by ASMAR to supply the complete, integrated propulsion system encompassing electric propulsion motors, four Tier III main diesel engine gensets, shaft lines, tunnel thruster, SeaLyte dynamic positioning and vessel automation system. Installed power is in the order of 14.5MW, and the machinery and equipment as a whole is characterised by the robustness essential to safety and survivability in polar climes.

The four-stroke, medium-speed diesels achieve a 70% reduction in key emissions and enable IMO Tier III NOx compliance to be attained wholly through engine-internal measures, obviating the need for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) plant and related dosing system. The emission abatement technology encapsulated in the 250MDC-series engines features exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), plus an advanced Miller thermodynamic cycle and increased peak cylinder pressure enabled by a dual-stage turbo.

Originated by GE, the engine family was brought into the portfolio of compatriot US company Wabtec after the latter’s 2019 merger with GE Transportation. The prime movers in Almirante Viel comprise two 16-cylinder engines plus two six-cylinder versions.

The VARD 9 203 configuration employed features a stern flight deck to support operations with a single, medium-lift helicopter, such as the Super Puma AS332L, while the adjoining hangar amidships can house two such aircraft. Two 20t cargo cranes fitted on the foredeck will undertake equipment and stores handling, while a pair of davits with a 7.4m reach will launch and recover landing craft. Other deck gear includes geophysical, towing, Gilson and CTD (conductivity, temperature and depth) winches.

The despatch of the Almirante Viel into the waters of Concepcion Bay has released space at the ASMAR yard for the intensification of work on a series of 110m amphibious/logistic vessels to be commissioned by the Chilean Navy. Constituting the Escotillon IV programme, the multi-role class is also based on a VARD Marine design.

MAIN PARTICULARS – Almirante Viel