From Norway with innovation

Winner of Category 3 “Provision of a product or service to Defence in excess of $15 million” at the 2019 Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry and Employer Support, Østensjø Rederi impressed with up-front professionalism.

Norway-based Østensjø Rederi (ØR), the former owner of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s new dive and hydrographic vessel HMNZS Manawanui in 2019, oversaw the first phase of modifications to adapt the ship for the Navy’s use, provided initial crew training and delivered the vessel to New Zealand. Working to a tight delivery schedule, they delivered within budget and above expectations.

Prior to delivery, the then Edda Fonn was converted by ØR to RNZN specifications. The vessel was renamed HMNZS Manawanui and commissioned into the Navy by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in an event at Devonport Naval Base in Auckland in June.

The Edda Fonn prior to her transformation into HMNZS Manawanui.

“It was a unique project because it was purchasing a second-hand vessel from the commercial market, commented Frank Dyer of the Ministry of Defence. “Normally when we purchase a used asset it’s off another military.”

According to Carl Johan Amundsen, Chief Project Officer at ØR, “the conversion of the vessel mainly consisted of installation of a completely new diving system and having it all classed, a new ROV with launch and recovery system, new underwater survey equipment and having it well integrated and built into the vessel.”

“We put onboard the vessel a training crew – a couple of guys were doing a training, made a training programme and conducted such a programme together with the Navy crew all the way from Europe to New Zealand.

“It’s a fairly complicated vessel, and they were unfamiliar with how such a vessel was operating and how it was equipped. So, I actually do believe it was a huge benefit for them,” he said. The idea was [that] for us to get up and get alongside the people who had been operating this ship for the 15 years prior is incredibly worthwhile to understand how the ship operates, how she handles.,” explained LTCMDR Andy Mahoney, RNZN. “You can’t put a price on being able to be alongside someone who fully understands the ship and its systems and learn from their experience.”

“From our perspective it was a project that provided collaborative outcomes that resulted in a gaingain relationship, delivering a value for money outcome; engagement that led to significant innovations in product and technologies to optimise the outcome; and a relationship which was conducted with openness and co-operation, engendering the development of mutual trust, respect and confidence”, said MoD’s Acquisition Lead Keith Gilchrist, according to an ØR media release.

“I think it was that Norwegian way where they were upfront, they were honest, were highly professional and did a lot of things that were over and above what were expected,” commented Mr Dyer.