THE PURCHASE OF the Irish Navy’s biggest ship in its history which will respond to humanitarian crises is set to move a step forward as information documents are to be issued across an EU platform.

The project has been in planning in the Department of Defence for many years but stepped up a gear with the recent Commission on the Defence Forces. 

Sources have said the ship is anticipated to have a helicopter landing area on board as well as other possible facilities such as a roll-on-roll-off facility for vehicles like the Defence Forces armoured personnel carriers. 

The ship would be capable of responding to major disasters and humanitarian crises – similar vessels have also been involved in the rescue of civilians from warzones. 

It is also anticipated that there will be a large medical facility onboard and specialist command and control systems for large-scale incidents. 

The project will cost an estimated €200m however it is understood that the exact cost will not be decided on until the completion of the tender process.

The Department of Defence was contacted for a statement.

A Government source has confirmed that there will be a release of documents in regard to the tender process for the project in the coming days. Known as a Prior Information Notice it will be examined by prospective builders. 

Minister for Defence and Foreign Affairs, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said in the Dáil last year that the ship would replace the LÉ Eithne, which was the former flagship of the Irish Naval Service. 

He said “it is a priority” for the Government and that it is “an important element of the Defence Equipment Development Plan”.

Funding for the project, he said, would be drawn from major capital projects budget.

“It is the Government’s intention that this new vessel will provide a flexible and adaptive capability for a wide range of maritime tasks,” he said. 

Sources, with a knowledge of the planning process, said that officials had spoken to several shipbuilding firms across Europe and wider afield either formally or informally. 

It is understood that a number of those firms are likely to make their interest in construction known. With a potential date of completion hoped for 2025. 

A source also stated that there will likely be an effort to award the build of the ship to a European firm with a dockyard in Poland the most likely location if the State opts for one of the EU companies. 

The LÉ Samuel Beckett, which was built by defence company Babcock in Appledore shipyard in the UK, passing Whitegate, Cork. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

It is understood that British ship builder, Babcock which previously built a number of patrol ships for the Irish Naval Service would be a potential builder. Their offering would likely be their Arrowhead MRV.

In November of last year Janes, a defence industry news website, reported Dutch firm Damen was awarded a contract to build an identical MRV-style ship for the Portuguese navy.

The contract would see that ship, the D Joao II, enter service in the second half of 2026.

Dutch officials had met their Irish counterparts on board the HNLMS Karel Doorman which visited Cork Harbour in November 2022. This included the landing of an Irish Air Corps helicopter on the huge vessel. 

There are other options for the state including a Danish ship building firm and a South Korean yard which has built tide-class resupply vessels for the British navy.

A security source said news of the tender process beginning would be welcomed but that the Government would have to be consider more vessels to ensure the ship is available at all times. 

This would be in keeping with the Commission on the Defence Forces recommendation of a enlarged naval service which is currently struggling with a staffing and retention crisis which has enabled just two ships to go to sea. 

A source said: “With the changing sea conditions in the North Atlantic due to climate change and the growing need for sealift capabilities in both humanitarian operations like those under way in Gaza and Sudan, next years updated-White Paper on Defence could well establish the need for additional multi-role vessels.

“A minimum of two vessels would be required to ensure that at least one is available to the State for most of the year.” 

That is slowly changing with the Government’s funding for greater pay for sailors.