Minesweepers KRI Pulau Fani 731 and KRI Pulau Fanildo 732 Were Sent to Indonesia

After being completely built by the Abeking & Rasmussen Shipyard in Germany, the minesweepers KRI Pulau Fani 731 and KRI Pulau Fanildo 732 recently completed the sea trial stage.

In fact, currently, the two most advanced minesweepers that will strengthen the Mine Ship Unit (Satran) are in the process of being dispatched to Indonesia.

However, unlike the usual delivery of TNI AL warships purchased from abroad, KRI Pulau Fani 731 and KRI Pulau Fanildo 732 were not sailed directly by their crews.

From the LinkedIn account Abeking & Rasmussen, a short 30-second video post is shown showing the two minesweepers with mine countermeasures (MCM) capabilities, brought to Indonesia by being 'carried' using a semi-submersible heavy lift vessel.

Before entering the wet dock, both ships were directed to enter the semi-submersible heavy lift vessel using tugboats.

A semi-submersible Heavy Lift Vessel (SSHLV) is a type of ship specifically designed to transport and lift heavy loads in shallow and deep waters.

This vessel has the ability to submerge itself below the surface of the water to allow heavy cargo, such as oil and gas platforms, drilling rigs, large structures, or damaged marine vessels, to be safely loaded or moved.

The main uniqueness of the SSHLV is its ability to float and submerge itself.

This ship is equipped with a special tank that can be filled with water to sink it.

When the tanks were filled with water, the ship would sink, allowing heavy loads to be loaded.

After the cargo is loaded, the ship can pump air out of the tanks so that the ship floats again with the cargo on the water.

The SSHLV generally has a pontoon design with multiple flotation legs, which allow it to maintain balance and stability when lifting heavy loads.

The ship is equipped with strong cranes and tie-down systems to secure the cargo during lifting operations.

The main advantage of the SSHLV is its ability to lift heavy loads with great stability, even in deep water.

They can be used in off-shore construction projects, the oil and gas industry, as well as salvage and recovery operations for damaged marine vessels.

SSHLV can also move large structures, such as bridges, by floating them and moving them to a new location.

The use of SSHLV is an efficient solution for lifting and moving heavy loads that are not accessible by conventional ships.

However, due to its complexity and high operational costs, SSHLV is generally owned and operated by specialized companies or heavy transport contractors.

Prior to KRI Pulau Fani 731 and KRI Pulau Fanildo 732, the Vietnamese Navy also brought in Kilo-class submarines using the SSHLV vehicle.

The Russian-made submarine was transported from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Cam Ranh Air Force Base in Vietnam using a special vehicle called the SSHLV RollDock Star.

The RollDock Star has an overall length of 151.5 meters and a width of 25.4 meters.

Its maximum draft is 5.67 meters, and its shallow draft is 4.5 meters.

Ship weight is in the range of 8,000–9,000 tons without hatch cover.

The cargo payload that can be carried reaches 18,768 m³, or a cargo size of 119.4 x 19.4 meters.