The vessel is equipped with a well deck and is capable of accommodating two LCU-23M landing craft and two landing craft for vehicles and personnel (LCVPs). As an LPD, Tanjung Dalpele had a lift capacity of 13 tanks and 507 troops.[2] The vessel is equipped with hospital facilities (five operating rooms and six polyclinics) and is utilised as a hospital ship by the Indonesian Navy.[4] As a hospital ship the vessel is capable of accepting up to 2,000 patients and has a crew of 126 with 51 medical specialists.[2][4]
As built, the ship was armed with one 57 mm (2.2 in) gun and twin-mounted 40 mm (1.6 in) guns. The ship has a hangar and helicopter deck at the stern and is capable of operating two Super Puma helicopters.[2]
Construction and career
The contract for the US$35 million ship was signed with Daewoo International in September 2003. The vessel was built by Daesun Shipbuilding at their shipyard in Pusan, South Korea, with the keel being laid in 2002. Named Tanjung Dalpele, the ship was launched on 17 May 2003 and entered service with the Indonesian Navy in September of that year.[2][3] In February 2007, Tanjung Dalpele carried the families of the victims of Adam Air Flight KI-574 to the site of the crash for a memorial service.[5]
On 1 August 2007 the ship was changed to a hospital ship, and was renamed KRI dr. Soeharso with the pennant number 990.[4][6][a] In 2016, dr. Soeharso performed its first overseas mission, deploying to Timor-Leste on a medical care mission.[4]
dr. Soeharso evacuated 89 crew of the cruise ship Diamond Princess from Indramayu thermal power plant port, after the crew got health certificate from Japan and flew to Kertajati International Airport. They then used buses to travel to port. The crew underwent a second round of test, in which one of the crew tested positive for COVID-19 and was hospitalized in Jakarta. 68 crew of Diamond Princess disembarked at Sebaru Kecil Islet. World Dream evacuees and Diamond Princess evacuees used separated blocks/buildings.[8][9]
Notes
^Parameswaran says the status was changed in 2008.[4]