Vard Marine US, Inc., based in Houston, has landed a contract with the U.S. Navy to help shape the future logistics fleet for the service. This involves preliminary design work on the Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS), also known as the light replenishment oiler (T-AOL).

The company will conduct a thorough market survey and create concept designs for the new vessel, which is meant to provide refueling, resupply, and rearmament capabilities using a smaller, more flexible platform. The Navy wants to use commercially available technologies that are proven to reduce costs, risks, and development times.

In the initial phase, Vard Marine will analyze existing ship designs from both the U.S. and abroad to see which can meet Navy requirements. Within two months, the company will present its findings and refine a basic concept through further design work. The contract also has options for additional design planning and specialized studies.

“Our goal is to deliver a refined, cost-effective, and operationally superior platform,” said Darren Truelock, president of Vard Marine US, emphasizing the firm’s commitment to supporting the modernization of U.S. Navy logistics.

To assist with this initiative, Vard Marine has teamed up with industry partners like Hanwha Defense USA and Hanwha Philly Shipyard, who will bring shipbuilding expertise, production planning, and cost assessments to the project. This contract marks the first awarded to Hanwha Defense USA since the company's formation and following Hanwha’s acquisition of Philly Shipyard in December 2024.

“Hanwha is proud to work with Vard on the design and integration of the Next Generation Logistics Ship for the U.S. Navy,” said Tom Anderson, President of Shipbuilding at Hanwha Defense USA. “This contract represents a key step in using our world-class shipbuilding capabilities to create the vessels the Navy needs for our servicemembers in challenging maritime situations.”

The team will also include Siemens Energy, which will focus on integrating propulsion and electrical systems. Their involvement suggests a potential focus on advanced electric propulsion technologies, which are becoming increasingly typical in both naval and commercial vessels.

Consulting support will be provided by Acumen Aerospace and Defense Advisors.

The NGLS program is part of a broader change in U.S. naval strategy toward more distributed operations and agile logistics support in challenging environments. The Navy is looking at smaller, more numerous platforms that can maintain operations closer to the areas of need, both at sea and on land, instead of solely relying on large fleet oilers.

Vard Marine is part of Vard Group, which is primarily owned by the Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri. The group has significant experience in designing specialized vessels, including naval auxiliaries, icebreakers, and support ships for offshore activities.

Although still in the concept stage, the NGLS initiative is an important early step in developing the Navy’s next-generation logistics vessels—platforms that will be crucial for supporting ongoing operations as competition in maritime areas increases.

The Light Replenishment Oiler (T-AOL), previously known as the Next-Generation Logistics Ship, is planned as a new class of 13 smaller, lower-cost logistics vessels designed for distributed operations in challenging environments.

In contrast to the John Lewis-class oilers that exceed $800 million each, early estimates suggest that the procurement cost for T-AOL vessels will be around $453 million per ship. According to the Navy’s FY2026 budget, the first vessel is now expected to be delivered in FY2028, after previous delays.