Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has announced an order to supply Bergen diesel engines for the Royal Netherlands Navy’s Joint Support Ship (JSS).

The contract for the engineering, building and delivery of the vessel was signed late last year, by the Royal Netherlands Navy and Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) in Vlissingen, Netherlands.

The vessel will be equipped with four Bergen B32:40V12A generator sets and one B32:40L6A, which will provide diesel electrical power and propulsion. Construction of the 205m ship will largely take place at Damen shipyard at Galati, Romania, under the supervision of DSNS. Engineering, commissioning and testing will then take place in Vlissingen, and the ship is due to be delivered to the Royal Netherlands Navy in July 2014.

Sam Cameron, Rolls-Royce naval sales director, said: “This important order demonstrates the relevance of the Rolls-Royce Bergen engines for the naval sector. This continues the strong relationship Rolls-Royce has with Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and the Royal Netherlands Navy and we are very pleased that our innovative technology has again been selected.”

The robust multi-function ship is specifically designed for maritime support, strategic sealift and sea basing missions in both open-ocean and littoral waters. At its disposal are capabilities for replenishment at sea, storage of supplies, transport of material and personnel, and for extensive medical, technical and logistical support.

The Bergen range of diesels are suitable for a variety of propulsion system configurations, as prime mover or auxiliary generator sets in naval vessels, where reliability, fuel efficiency, through-life cost and environmental constraints are significant factors.

The modern engine designs are compliant to stringent IMO Tier II emission requirements without the application of common rail modifications, using diesel or gas fuel. There are over 4,000 Bergen engines operating today with a proven track record in the offshore, merchant and naval sector.

Rolls-Royce is a leading supplier of marine systems and has previously supplied gas turbines and gas turbine support, propellers and stabilisation equipment to the Royal Netherlands Navy. The company supplies 70 navies with products ranging from gas turbines and diesel engines to propulsion, motion control and electrical systems, and has a growing network of marine service facilities.