New LHD Handed Over to Spanish Navy

Navantia on Sept. 30 handed over the LHD amphibious ship “Juan Carlos I” to the Spanish navy during a ceremony at the Military Dockyard at Ferrol. His Majesty King Juan Carlos I presided over the official reception of this amphibious ship, which is the largest ever built by Navantia and the largest ever operated by the Spanish navy.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, president of the Galicia regional government, Defense Minister Carmen Chacón, and the chairman of Navantia, Aurelio Martínez, also attended the ceremony.

The ship, whose keel was laid in 2005, was launched on March 10, 2010 in the presence of their Majesties and the Prince of Asturias, and was christened by Dona Sofia.

For Navantia, the ship generated 6.5 million man-hours of production work and 850,000 hours of engineering work, which translates into over 4,000 direct and indirect jobs. A total of 33 firms also participated in its construction as subcontractors or suppliers.

The size of the “Juan Carlos I” means it is the largest ship ever built by Navantia for the Spanish navy, and several foreign navies are interested in this design.

In 2007 the Royal Australian Navy ordered two similar ships from Navantia.