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| Name |
Official number |
Flag |
IMO |
| CHALLENGER |
|
GBR |
7907697 |
| Year built |
Date launched |
Date completed |
| 1984 |
19/05/1981 |
03/08/1984 |
| Vessel type |
Vessel description
|
| Naval Auxiliary
| Steel Diesel-electric |
| Builder |
Yard |
Yard no |
| Scott Lithgow Ltd, Greenock |
Cartsburn Dockyard |
753 |
| |
|
| Tonnage |
Length |
Breadth |
Depth |
Draft |
| 6397 grt / / 7185 disp |
440 ft |
59 ft 1 in |
35 ft 1 in |
16 ft 5 in |
| Engine builder |
Ruston Diesels Ltd., Newton-le-Willows |
| Engine detail |
5 × Ruston 16-cylinder RKCZ(L) oil engines each 3520 bhp (2626 kW) coupled to Laurence Scott & Electromotors 2500 kW alternators (3.3kV, 3-phase, 60 Hz) driving electric motors which are her main propulsion.
2 × Ruston 6RKCX(L) oil engines each 1320 bhp coupled to Laurence Scott & Electromotors 750 kW alternators (440 volts, 3-phase, 60 Hz) for auxiliary power.
Driven by 2 × Voith-Schneider propellers, 2500 kW each, aft and 3 × controllable-pitch bow thrusters, 1500 kW each. 15 knots |
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| First owner |
First port of register |
Registration date |
| Royal Navy |
|
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| Other names |
| 2000 YA TOIVO |
| Subsequent owner and registration history |
Subsea Offshore Aberdeen
Ocean Support Services, Bahamas
Deep Blue Shipping Navigation
Namibian Minerals Corporation.
De Beers both under Namibian registry. |
| Vessel history |
HMS Challenger was a unique vessel for the Royal Navy, purpose built to support deep sea operations & saturation diving, and described as a Seabed Operations Vessel. Not commissioned until 1984, she was seen as an extravagance when subsequent naval cutbacks were considered.
As a result she was laid up in 1990 and offered for sale.
In 1993 the ship was bought by Subsea Offshore and converted for decontaminating hazardous waste dumped in the Baltic and North Atlantic.
The vessel was later bought by the Namibian Minerals Corporation and fitted with equipment to recover diamonds from the sea floor being converted at Gdynia and began operations in December 2000. She was later bought by De Beers in April 2003 for $20 million. Her present profile bears little resemblance to her original. |
| Remarks |
02/10/1979 Ordered
23/01/1980 Keel Laid
Lengthened and widened in 2000. 485ft x 78ft 7in. 9111 grt; 2733 nrt; 8659 tonnes (Displacement) |
| End year |
Fate / Status |
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| Disposal Detail |
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CHALLENGER
Image courtesy of : Paul Strathdee
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CHALLENGER As built taken in 1984
Image courtesy of : Paul Strathdee
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CHALLENGER
Image courtesy of : Dave Waller
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CHALLENGER As built taken in 1984
Image courtesy of : Dave Waller
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CHALLENGER
Image courtesy of : Dave Waller
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YA TOVIO
Image courtesy of : Paul Strathdee collection
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