MULTIPURPOSE SHIP "CARNOTA"

The Commanding Officer of the multi-purpose ship ‘Carnota’ welcomes you to the website of this unit belonging to the Maritime Action Force and homeported in ‘La Graña’ Naval Station.

Launched: 2014

Commissioned: 29/11/2023

Displacement: 2,284 tons.

Length: 66.8 m.

Beam: 16 meters

Draft:5.4 meters

Propulsion:

Weapons: 2 Machine guns (12.7 mm)

Radars: 2 Navigation radars (X and S bands).

Max. Speed: 14 knots

The ‘Carnota’ is a very versatile platform with many capabilities and ample logistic endurance. Her main missions include:

Towing.As a tugboat, she can tow large NATO-standard vessels like LHDs (26,800 tons), AORs (up to 19,500 tons) and LPDs (12,800 tons).

Maritime surveillance.Contribute to maritime surveillance operations within territorial waters.

Logistic.Transport of personnel to and from Spanish islands and cities in North Africa. Capability of transporting fresh water, different supplies and fuel.

Transport of large ordnance elements like torpedoes or missiles between the different naval stations like Ferrol, Cartagena, Canary Islands and Cádiz.

Transport of hydrographic barges to conduct hydrographic campaigns, as well as towing of target vessels.

Ships’ support.Towing of surface targets in firing exercises. Launching and recovery of remotely operated targets; deployment and recovery of buoys used in naval gunfire support exercises, in addition to other unmanned vehicles.

Launching and recovery of torpedoes, target ship in maritime interdiction exercises, transport of training systems and pilot qualification in vertical replenishment operations.

Mine and buoy laying operations and exercises with Diving Units.

Our base is ‘La Graña’ Naval Station (Corunna).

The ship has 2 machine guns of 12.7 mm as well as other portable weapons.

In addition, the A-61 has three light boats used as auxiliary craft to provide support to other vessels or transport of personnel and cargo.

The multi-purpose ship ‘Carnota’ enhances the number of auxiliary units needed to transport personnel and goods and operate as offshore tugs.

Originally, the ship’s name was ‘Ocean Osprey’ and was procured from the Norwegian ship operator ‘Atlantic Offshore’ to replace the old tug ‘Mahón’ (A-51), recently decommissioned. The ship was built in the Basque shipyards of ‘Zamakoa’ in 2014 and used for oilrigs support. This type of vessels are known as ‘Platform Support Vessels’. In October 2023, the ship sailed from Bergen to Vigo to undergo the necessary refurbishment works.

On November 29th the ship was officially commissioned as a Spanish Navy ship and christened ‘Carnota’ in honor of the city whose neighbors helped rescue the crew of the frigate ‘Ariete’ which sank in the vicinity of the city of Carnota in 1966.

Initially, a standard crew consists of 36 people (5 officers, 6 NCOs and 25 leading seamen and ratings). There are currently three women as part of the crew.

The ship is scheduled to take part in the activities organized on the occasion of the Armed Forces’ Day, which will take place in Asturias next May 2024.