A-11 MARQUES DE LA ENSENADA (ex-MAR DEL NORTE)

At the end of 1988, the Spanish Navy was without oil tankers or supply vessels that could support the Combat Group, formed by the aircraft carrier and its escort. Faced with this worrying situation, on December 30, 1988, the construction of a new auxiliary oil tanker (AO) was ordered to cover this gap. The new ship, named as A-11 Mar del Norte, entered service on June 3, 1991. This ship was based in the Bazan’s civil design B-219/A, and was chosen because it was a low-cost vessel equipped with an economic diesel engine and that met the civil standards amply. The ship had an aft flight deck that had to be expanded a few years later, increasing its length by 3 meters. It also has a hangar to house an AB-212 or SH-3 Sea King helicopter that was used primarily for vertical replenishment operations (VERTREP). In 1995 it was changed its original name to A-11 Marques de la Ensenada. In January 2012, the ship was decommissioned after having participated in numerous international missions and naval exercises.

A-11 M. DE LA ENSENADA gallery and more info