Orizzonte Sistemi Navali has delivered the Algerian Navy’s new 8,800-tonne multi-purpose landing platform dock (LPD) ship Kalaat Beni-Abbes (474), in a ceremony held at Fincantieri’s Muggiano shipyard near La Spezia, Italy, on 4 September.
The delivery ceremony for the vessel, which was developed under the Bâtiment de Débarquement et de Soutien Logistique (BDSL) programme, was attended by General Salah Malaoui and General M L Haouli, head of the Algerian Navy’s supervisory board and president of the acceptance commission, respectively. Also present were Alessandro Concialini, OSN’s CEO, and Angelo Fusco, executive senior vice-president of Fincantieri’s naval shipbuilding division.
The event marked an important milestone in a contract that includes not only construction and delivery, but also a full training package and technology transfer for indigenous construction of three landing craft medium (LCM) to be embarked in the new amphibious ship. Around 190 personnel are being trained in a programme encompassing ship and landing craft crews as well as support teams. This training work, under way in Italy since October 2013, is being carried out by the Italian Navy as a subcontractor to OSN.
Built at Fincantieri’s Riva Trigoso/Muggiano integrated shipyard network, the new Kalaat Beni-Abbes completed platform and combat system customer acceptance trials, and subsequent delivery, to the Algerian Navy on time.
The “Kalaat Beni-Abbes” is 143 metres long with a 21.5 metre beam and has a full load displacement of about 8,800 tons. With two diesel engines, it can reach speeds of over 20 knots, and carry more than 430 soldiers, 12 flight service specialists and 152 crew, for a total of about 600 people.
It has a full-length flight deck, with two helicopter landing spots, fore and aft. It is also equipped with a 60-bed hospital and several operating theatres, to provide medical support to both troops and civilians during humanitarian operations.