The Istanbul based DESAN and ÖZATA Shipyards programme partnership will start the construction of Logistic Support Tankers (LST) for the Turkish Navy in April, TurDef learned.
The Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) and DESAN Shipyard have signed a contract on 29 December 2021 to construct four LSTs for the Turkish navy. The steel cutting ceremony for the first tanker will be held in April, and every two months, new construction will begin. The tankers will be constructed within two years approximately.
The tankers will mainly serve within the port to transfer oil to or from naval vessels. Navy’s ships must be ready for operations 7 / 24. This obligation requires them to have their tanks full all the time. LST’s one mission is to supply vessels. Sometimes, the ship is towed to the dockyard for modernisation, repair or maintenance. The work can be carried out only after the tank is emptied. The tanker receives all the oil in the vessel’s tank before it goes under operation at the shipyard.
Technical Specs
| Length (Overall) | 49 meter |
| Breadth | 8.6 meter |
| Draft | 2.9 meter |
| Displacement | 980 t |
| Speed | 15 Kts |
| Fuel Capacity | 205 tons |
