Navy turns to Germanischer Lloyd to put subs in class

Sep 05, 2007
Author: P&S

SAS Manthatisi, the South African Class 209 type 1400 submarine that took part in the joint exercises with ships from the NATO task force circumnavigating Africa, has become the first naval submarine worldwide to be brought into class by a classification society.

A similar process will follow with the other two submarines, SAS Charlotte Maxeke and SAS Queen Modjadji. GL will also undertake the annual inspection of all three boats.

In terms of international law naval vessels are not usually required to comply with international regulations concerning merchant shipping and are governed instead by individual national regulations. However the cost of maintaining the engineering capability to undertake the necessary examinations for a small number of vessels of each type makes the use of an outside agency more practicable.

This isn’t the first time that a naval warship has been put in class by a classification society – the Australian Anzac class frigates were similarly handled but this is believed to have been the first time for a submarine.

SAS Manthatisi underwent her inspection in June this year. She is the first of three new submarines going into service with the South African Navy. Only SAS Queen Modjadji remains still to be delivered from the builders in Germany.