A Royal Malaysian Navy representative said the service was still finalizing its detailed requirements for its future Multi-Role Support Ship at the 2025 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition.
The representative said that should the project be funded in the 13th Malaysia Plan that plans and funds major government expenditures between 2026 and 2030, the finalized requirements and the subsequent official launch of the selection process will be made at that time.
The revised 15-to-5 Transformation plan calls for the procurement of two Multi-Role Support Ships between 2026 and 2030, with a third to be procured between 2035 and 2040. The ships will be tasked with providing sealift capability for the Malaysian Armed Forces, supporting amphibious operations, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief among other missions.
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Several shipbuilders present at the exhibition were offering updates on their proposals for the Multi-Role Support Ship program.
Turkish shipbuilder STM unveiled its new Multi-Role Support Ship design at the exhibition, with the design said to be made specifically to meet Malaysian operational requirements. However, STM representatives declined to comment on whether it was engaging any Malaysian partners for the project, including Lumut Naval Shipyard, despite an exchange of documents on a memorandum of understanding on future collaboration with the latter during the exhibition.
A Lumut Naval Shipyard representative said that their current proposal for the Multi-Role Support Ship program uses Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL’s Landing Platform Dock design. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding for collaboration at the Defense Services Asia 2024 exhibition.
Dutch shipbuilders Damen said they have proposals for either their Enforcer design or the Multi-Purpose Support Ship design it is building for the Portugese Navy, with a final proposal to be made depending on the finalized requirements.
Fincantieri promoted its Kalaat Beni-Abbes amphibious landing ship design for Multi-Role Support Ship, announcing at the exhibition that they had entered a partnership with Malaysian maritime maintenance, repair and overhaul firm Enra Energy Solutions to jointly promote and build Fincantieri ships if they are selected.
Hyundai Heavy Industries’ HDL-13000 design was also being promoted at the exhibition, with a representative from Malaysian firm Kemalak Marine saying that the two companies were now working together to market it and other Hyundai Heavy Industries products to the Royal Malaysian Navy.
While the representative declined to comment on how long the partnership has been in place, Kemalak Marine announced at Defense Services Asia 2024 that it had partnered with Korea Aerospace Industries to promote KAI helicopters to the Navy, with the broader Kemalak Group also working with KAI on technology transfer and offset program for the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s purchase of FA-50M light fighter aircraft.
