Vestdavit Secures Davit Contract with French Navy

Vestdavit won a tender from Chantiers de l’Atlantique to supply davit systems for four new logistic support ships due delivery to the French Navy under the FLOTLOG (Flotte Logistique) program. 

The double-hulled vessels will replace the Navy’s current, single-hulled LSSs and will be deployed to support France’s blue-sea combat fleet commitment to OCCAR (Organization for Joint Armament Co-operation).

Vestdavit will supply two PLD-6000 A-frame davits for interception craft and a single PL-3600R davit for fast rescue per ship to ensure safety and crew comfort in missions worldwide in unforgiving seas. With the first vessel to be handed over by the end of 2022, deliveries will be completed by 2029.

Vestdavit’s PLD-6000 type davit is designed specifically for the flexibility and speed needed by interception vessels and can handle everything from leisure craft to work boats. It has a load-bearing capacity of up to six tons and remains effective even beyond sea state 5. Thanks to Vestdavit’s modular design, the PLD-6000 can be equipped with a docking head and guiding arms and to handle unmanned surface vessels (USVs) or underwater autonomous vehicles (UAV's) if required. Meanwhile, the PL-3600R davit is designed for fast rescue craft and has a safe working load of 3.6 tons. Fully equipped with shock absorbers, guiding arms and a self-tension system as standard, the PL-3600R ensures stability in conditions up to and including sea state 5.

With the LSS-types expected to operate for 40 years, Vestdavit project lead Redouane Lahsen says that the shipyard’s selection criteria demanded launch-and-recovery systems that would be built to last and allow easy, low-cost maintenance.