Da Nang-based shipbuilder, Song Thu Corporation has launched the third indigenous Roro (roll-on/roll-off) 5612 multipurpose landing ship tank for the Vietnam People’s Navy (Hải quân nhân dân Việt Nam). The ceremony was held on 22 June 2020 in the company’s shipyard in Da Nang. While Vietnamese shipyards have produced these ships in the past for Royal Bahamas defense force, this is the first time the Vietnam People’s Navy has ordered this vessel. Additionally, there are currently three extra RoRo 5612 ships built by Vietnam for Venezuela that were never delivered due to the ongoing Venezuelan political/social crisis.
The 5612 multipurpose landing ship tank is based on Dutch shipbuilder Damen’s RoRo 5612 amphibious ship design. A fourth ship of the class is also under construction by Song Thu Corporation. The deck equipment of the RoRo 5612 includes one anchor winches 3x DMT 10 m/min, one deck crane 14 tons at 19.50 mtrsan and a capstan 3 tons, 15 m/min. It measures 23.3m in overall length, 57.27 m in floatation length and 3.9 m in width. It is powered by two 2x MTU type 12V2000M61/1A engine and it can sail at a maximum speed of 10.5 knots. Navigation and communication equipment includes a GMDSS A3 Radar, a magnetic compass, gyrocompass, GPS, echo sounder, autopilot, AIS, and a speedlog.
The new landing crafts are expected to improve the amphibious transport, logistics and mobility capability of the Vietnamese Armed Forces, with emphasis on transporting trucks and light armored vehicles of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), as well as shipping containers, goods and passengers including armed troops. The 5612 multipurpose landing ship tank is operated by a crew of 16 people. It was given the hull number 528, in line with the hull numbering of its sisterships, which were originally built for the Venezuelan Army, but was turned over to the VPN after they failed to pay for the ships.
