MOU signed to provide fridges for frigates

Cold Logic has entered into an agreement with Ernest West & Beynon to fulfil Australian Navy refrigeration needs.

Cold Logic is a refrigeration specialist based in Adelaide, South Australia, with decades of experience in industrial applications in industries as diverse as wine and defence.

The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with UK naval refrigeration supplier Ernest West & Beynon (EWB) to be its local supplier for Australia’s Hunter class frigates, which are being built in South Australia from 2020 by BAE Australia.

Ernest West & Beynon is currently supplying the provision cooling systems for BAE Systems UK Type 26 class, which is the base line design for Australia’s Hunter class.

Cold Logic Managing Director and founder Jeff Cannan said the deal would enable local support for the full life cycle of the equipment. He said it would also give BAE Systems Australia and the Commonwealth of Australia confidence that the integration process will be as smooth as is possible.

“Through our agreement, we feel that we can ensure the design and manufacture of this project will have maximum Australian content and are compliant with additional in-country directives by the ADF,” Cannan said.

Cold Logic is also providing state-of-the-art upgrades to cooling equipment for the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins Class submarines and is well known for its cooling technology at major wineries and breweries in South Australia.

Dr Michael Riese, Head of Cold Logic Defence Division, said the company specialised in complex systems that needed to have high energy efficiency and were reliable and easily maintained.

“We understand that the supply and install of the new systems on the Hunter class frigates are only the first step, but this will then be followed by decades of operation and maintenance and we want to ensure that this is cost effective as possible,” Dr Riese said.

EWB’s Operations Director David Vos said the company looked for an in-country partner with similar values to their family-owned business because of the longevity of the project.

“Knowledge transfer is one of the critical items of bringing the Type 26 design to Australia and ensuring that the build-up of Sovereign Capability and Australianisation of the design is linked to a minimisation of additional costs,” Vos said.

The Hunter class frigates will be built in Australia by ASC Shipbuilding at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.

Picture: The Australian Hunter Class will be based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 Global Combat Ship design.