Indonesian Navy commissions LPD-based hospital ship KRI Semarang

The Indonesian Navy's newest LPD-based hospital ship, KRI Semarang (594). Photo c/o Lancer Defence Indonesian Military discussion page.

The Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) reports that it has commissioned its newest hospital ship, the KRI Semarang (594), which is based on a Landing Platform Dock (LPD) design built by state-owned shipyard PT PAL.

The formal commissioning ceremony was held last 21 January 2019.

The KRI Semarang is the second LPD-based hospital ship in the Indonesian Navy, and will be assigned with the Komando Armada I (1st Fleet Command) operating in the western parts of the country. The first one, the KRI Dr. Soeharso (990) is based on the older Tanjung Dalpele-class built by South Korea’s Daesun Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd.

It is expected to be the first of its class of new LPDs for Indonesia and was based on the Tarlac-class LPD built by PT PAL for the Philippine Navy. Currently Indonesia operates 6 LPDs including the 2 hospital ships, plus 2 Makassar-class and 2 Banjarmasin-subclass.