ESSEN, Germany, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and PWGSC, the Canadian procurement agency, will collaborate on the design of a new ship.
The Joint Support Ship will replace the Canadian navy's auxiliary oil replenishment vessels.
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems said a possible base design is the Berlin class Task Group Support Vessel operated by the German navy and the agreement with Canada includes a licensing provision if it is chosen.
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Canada, in collaboration with Blohm + Voss Naval will produce a modified design of the vessel used by Germany, which will be considered along with a design being developed by Canada's Department of National Defense, the Canadian navy and BMT Fleet Technology.
If the German design is chosen, the vessel would be built in a Canadian shipyard.
In announcing the agreement with Canada, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems didn't disclose the value of the contract nor specify a timeline for the project.
