 A project with Tenix Marine has seen NHP supplied switchgear take to the high seas with the New Zealand Navy.
The Protector Class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), soon to be named HMNZS Otago once it is commissioned by the NZ Navy, was built from scratch at the Tenix Marine shipyard in Williamstown, Victoria.
The impressive 85 metre, 1583 tonne Offshore Patrol Vessel, when commissioned, will accommodate a crew of 49 with an additional 30 Embarked Forces personnel also catered for. The OPV is intended for patrol and response operations in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the South Pacific and the Ross Sea and has the ability to remain at sea for up to 21 days at a time.
Central to the ship’s fit out was the design and manufacture of Cubic switchboards from NZ based supplier, McKay.
Mark Carter, McKay’s Switchboard Manufacturing Manager, has a long history working with Royal Naval vessels in switchboard design, manufacture and supply. Mark explains that he and his team specified Cubic switchboards for the HMNZS Otago for a range of reasons.
”Cubic’s Modular System is super versatile, allowing all the individual requirements from the end-user, customer or consultant to be built in the switchboard,” Mark explained. “The Cubic system also met the specifications required by the NZ Navy and the Vessel Classification Society, Lloyds. We really had a competitive advantage with price and unit size and flexibility.”
“The beauty of Cubic is that it is truly an engineered electrical cubicle system that can be sized to meet tight space limitations, like those on the Otago, but also more than meets Australian & New Zealand Electrical Standards,” said NHP’s John Thornton, Product Manager for Cubic Modular Switchboard Systems.
“We’re very pleased to be able to help Tenix Marine in the construction of this world class patrol vessel,” says John.
To find out more about this project, grab a copy of the latest edition of Newsroom from your local NHP branch or NHP representative. |
