The ceremony was hosted by CSBC chairman Cheng Wen-Lon (鄭文隆) and Admiral Liu Chih-Pin (劉志斌), Commander of the ROC Navy.
The new rescue and salvage ship
The ROC Navy has been working on its future force building plans since 2014. The Force Building Vision for the Next 15 Years was revealed on January 2014, it included two Landing Platform Docks, 11 Tuo-Chiang class catamaran missile corvettes, 10 to 15 medium frigates (which is said to be 2,000 tons class), four destroyers equipped with advanced air defense systems.
In June 2016, the ROC Navy announced a 12-item force building plan, then Chief of staff of Navy, Vice admiral Mei Chia-shu (梅家樹), told Legislators that the Navy intends to complete the plan within the coming 22 years. 47 billion New Taiwan Dollar (1.5 billion USD) budget will be used for the plan. In August 2016, a material written by CSBC showed that ROC Navy plans the build one ARS prototype and 5 follow-up ships.
According to the 12-item force building plan of 2016, the new ARS will be fitted with 2 rudders, 2 propellers, variable-pitch propellers, bow thruster and stern thruster for turning the ship to port or starboard side, without forward motion for turning.
The new ARS will be equipped with dynamic positioning system for conducting rescue or salvage missions under Beaufort scale 4 wind, and will also be capable to maintain its position under the wind weaker than Beaufort scale 5 and ocean current slower than 2.5 knots, to conduct rescue mission.
It will be capable of towing ships with more than 30000-ton displacement, maximum displacement of 100000-ton, being capable of conducting maritime firefighting operations by spraying, having the basic capability to respond to ocean pollutions.
The new ARS will be fitted with ROV for missions with vision, the ROV can operate in a depth deeper than 200 meters. Other underwater rescue equipment will also be featured, such as diving bells. The ship will also feature a helicopter deck for operating helicopters, and being fitted with lifeboats.
Current rescue and salvage ships of Taiwanese navy
ROC Navy currently operates 2 rescue and salvage ships, both were former U.S. Navy ships and were built in 1940’s.
ROCS Da-hu (大湖, ARS-552) was former Diver-class rescue and salvage ship USS Grapple (ARS-7). Grapple was commissioned on 16 December 1943, the decommissioned date of the ship is unknown, but it was transferred to Taiwan on December 1, 1977. ROCS Da-tun (大屯, ARS-556) was former Bolster-class rescue and salvage ship USS Recovery (ARS-43), Recovery is commissioned on May 15, 1946, decommissioned on September 20 1994, and was transferred to Taiwan on September 30, 1998.
