VSP construction program has been launched

01 February 2021

Beginning of 2021, Merré shipyard has begun the production of the first Diving Support Vessel for French Navy. The first aluminium plate cutting took place the fouth of January 2021 with the deck plate in order to start building the hull upside down in the Merré workshop in Nort-sur-Erdre.

As a reminder, Merre shipyard was awarded in December 2019 for the design, construction, and delivery of eight Diving Support Vessels which will be delivered to mine clearance divers group in Toulon, Brest and Cherbourg, as well as Saint Mandrier diving school.

After 2020 devoted to intense design process and especially the engineering in association with Frédéric Neuman Design Office, the construction has been able to start.

Carried out successively at Merré shipyard in Nort sur Erdre and CIB shipyard in Brest ; both production sites are in France Atlantic coast, the leadership hull will be built at Merré shipyard before being transported to CIB shipyard around summer period in order to continue fitting out its superstructures.
Main equipment integration, in particular the hyperbaric chamber and the hybrid diesel / electric propulsion system will be done in September this year.
In the mean time, the wheelhouse will be built, painted, and equipped at Merré shipyard; It will be fitted on the hull maindeck not later than December in the CIB workshop.

2022 start will be devoted to sea trials in Brest before being conveyed to the Toulon French Navy base, its dedicated port of registery. After a factory acceptance test performed by French Navy, Merre shipyard will start up the construction of the next seven sisterships until the end of 2022, which will all be delivered within three years up to 2025. The eight Diving Support Vessel construction will take place in all BMA group facilities, mainly in Nort-sur-Erdre and Brest.

La construction du programme VSP a débuté
La construction du programme VSP a débuté

CONTACT

For general enquiries, please fill in the following contact form :

Required fields *

SociétÉ des Établissements Merré

Tel. : +33 (0)2 40 29 50 44

Fax : +33 (0)2 40 29 52 56

Email : contact@merre.fr

Address :
Route de Nantes
B.P. 57
44390
Nort sur Erdre
FRANCE

Opening hours :
from Monday to Thursday :
07:30 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 16:00
on Friday :
07:30 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 15:30

View in Google Maps