The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) commissioned KRI Canopus (936) during a ceremony held on February 12 at the Abeking & Rasmussen shipyard facility in Lemwerder, Germany. The event also combined the ship’s delivery and naming ceremony.
Officially entering active service, the 105-metre ship has now become TNI AL’s largest survey vessel, replacing KRI Dewa Kembar (932), a former Royal Navy vessel HMS Hydra (A144) which took part in the Falklands War as a hospital ship.
KRI Canopus is put under the command of the Navy Hydrographic and Oceanographic Centre (Pushidrosal), headquartered in Jakarta. According to the centre, the vessel will carry out a wide range of missions, primarily hydrographic, oceanographic, geophysical, and meteorological surveys and research. In addition, the ship can support search and rescue (SAR) missions, maritime patrols, mine warfare-related tasks, and maritime environmental protection efforts.
The Indonesian Navy expects the ship to arrive in Indonesia in mid-April or May.
Project Background
The commissioning of KRI Canopus marks the culmination of a multi-year industrial collaboration between Indonesian and German shipbuilders. As Naval News reported in November, the vessel was built by PT Palindo Marine’s shipyard in Batam, Indonesia. After hull completion in Indonesia, the vessel was transported in 2024 aboard a heavy load carrier to Germany for final outfitting and system integration as well as sea trials at Abeking & Rasmussen’s facility in Lemwerder.
The project reflects a structured collaboration in which the pre-outfitted hull was constructed domestically before undergoing advanced fitting-out overseas.
Basic Specifications of KRI Canopus
Length: 105 metres
Displacement: Approx. 3,400 tonnes
Maximum Speed: 16 knots
Endurance: 60 days
Accommodation: 90 personnel
Armament: 20 mm cannon and 12.7 mm machine guns
Additional Payload Capacity: 200 tonnes
Flight Deck: Capable of accommodating 1x helicopter up to 12-tonne MTOW
