Second Royal Navy tanker starts voyage from South Korea to UK

RFA Tiderace, the second of four Royal Fleet Auxiliary Tide-class  ships, has gotten underway from Okpo, South Korea starting her lengthy voyage to UK.

Tiderace departed the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) shipyard and has sailed the Japanese Kanmon Strait, according to latest AIS data.

The replenishment vessel was named on December 1, 2016, four months before the lead ship of the class, RFA Tidespring, reached UK waters in April 2017.

The four Tide-class tankers – RFA Tidespring, RFA Tiderace, RFA Tidesurge and RFA Tideforce – are 201 meters long, with a beam of nearly 29 metres and displace more than 37,000 tonnes.

Designed by BMT Defence Services, the tankers will maintain the Royal Navy’s ability to refuel at sea and will provide fuel to warships and task groups. They will support deployed amphibious, land and air forces close to the shore and will have the ability to operate helicopters.

Despite receiving the lead ship one year late, the Royal Navy still hopes to have all four delivered by 2018.