Keel Laid for Finnish Border Guard’s New Patrol Vessel
The Finnish Border Guard has held a keel laying ceremony for its new patrol vessel at Baltic Operator's shipyard in Gdansk.On March 12, 2024, a keel laying ceremony was arranged at Baltic Operator’s shipyard in Gdansk. The ceremony took place in the presence of the representatives of the Finnish Border Guard, Meyer Turku, Baltic Operator and Bureau Veritas.The keel laying ceremony is an old tradition. Before the keel laying, the ordering party - the Finnish Border Guard - and the shipyard’s representative placed their lucky coins under the keel beneath the first block.Later on…
Irish Naval Service Signs Up for Wärtsilä Optimized Maintenance Agreement
Wärtsilä announced it has signed a five-year Optimized Maintenance Agreement with the Irish Naval Service. The agreement, which covers four offshore patrol vessels (OPV), is designed to ensure operational reliability along with long-term cost predictability.“We have had good experience with Wärtsilä over the years, and we have great trust in their capabilities. This agreement will help us to achieve the level of efficiency and reliability that we aim for, which in turn will improve the environmental performance of these ships…
Steerprop to Help Outfit Finnish Border Guard Ship
Steerprop won a contract with Meyer Turku shipyard to supply tunnel thrusters and retractable combi thrusters for two newbuild multi-purpose patrol vessels for the Finnish Border Guard.The Finnish Border Guard will replace three obsolete patrol vessels with two new offshore patrol vessels, similar in size to the Turva (Finnish for “protection” or “security”), the largest patrol vessel in the fleet to date. “Our new patrol vessels are multi-purpose vessels that have the capacity…
Royal Navy to Help Defend Undersea Cables
A Royal Navy task force of seven ships will deploy with allies early next month to jointly patrol areas with vulnerable undersea critical infrastructure, following an unprecedented agreement by ministers of the 10 Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) nations.The UK contribution to the deployment will include two Royal Navy frigates, two offshore patrol vessels and mine countermeasures vessels, as well as a Royal Fleet Auxiliary landing ship – supported by a Royal Air Force P-8 Poseidon…
PIRIOU Delivers Second OPV to Senegalese Armed Forces
French shipyard PIRIOU has delivered a second offshore patrol vessel to the Senegalese Navy.The vessel is part of the OPV 58 S class vessel program. The contract, signed in November 2019, covered the acquisition of three offshore patrol vessels. After the Walo, delivered last June, and while the Cayor is being fitted out in Concarneau, the Niani is now flying the Senegalese flag ahead of schedule.Minister of the Armed Forces Omar Youm stated that “the acquisition of three offshore patrol vessels is an excellent demonstration of the significant investments made by the State of Senegal…
Vestdavit To Supply US Navy With Davits for New Class of Oilers
Davits supplied by Vestdavit will be used for the launch and recovery of fast craft to support refuelling operations at sea for the US naval fleet after the company was awarded a major contract for six vessels being built by General Dynamics NASSCO in the US.The contract covers delivery of 12 high-specification PLRH-5000 davits to be installed on the John Lewis-class of T-AO oilers ordered by the US Navy at the shipbuilder’s San Diego shipyard, with two on each ship from T-AO…
Meyer Turku Increased Turnover in 2022
Meyer Turku Group has published its 2022 financial results indicating a positive turnaround on the previous year.The Group’s turnover was 1.30 billion euros, up about 200 million euros on 2021. The loss for the financial year was 15.6 million euros, which was less than the previous year's 17 million euros.Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer comments on the result: "During 2022, we were particularly affected by the difficult availability of materials and overall increased costs, especially on materials and financing.
Hensoldt UK to Supply Radars to the Philippine Navy
Hensoldt UK won two contracts from Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) to supply Kelvin Hughes Mk11 SharpEye navigation radars to the Philippine Navy.The six 2,400-ton Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) and two 3,200-ton Corvettes are currently being built at HHI and will be delivered over the next four years.The SharpEye Mk11 radars are approved by the IMO and are installed in conjunction with an integrated navigation bridge system. The radars will provide enhanced navigation and surface…
Kongsberg Maritime to Supply Propulsion Systems for Six Philippine Navy Vessels
Norway's Kongsberg Maritime has won an order for six sets of controllable pitch propeller systems from South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries for installation in six new 94-meter offshore patrol vessels for the Philippine Navy.Each propulsion set will consist of twin Kongsberg Kamewa Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) 86 A/5 D-B systems, as well as shaft lines, hydraulic power units, local operating panels, and accessories. The first shipset will be delivered in August 2024.The six new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) are part of a major upgrade to Philippine naval capacity.
Navy: Swedish Combat Boat 90, Both a Warrior and a Workhorse
The Swedish-built Combat Boat 90 (CB 90) has established itself with military forces around the world as both a warrior and a workhorse. The 52-foot boats first entered service in 1991 as troop carriers with the Swedish Marines, which is still procuring them. There are more than 250 operating worldwide today.These rugged boats are optimized for high-speed / shallow-draft operations in and around Sweden’s many coastal islands, but they have also proven to be ideal for a variety of other applications and operating environments.The CB 90 is 52 feet long, with a draft of just 2 feet 7 inches.
Dominicana Caribbean Shipyards, the New Face in Caribbean Shipbuilding and Repair
Ciramar Shipyards and Fassmer Technical Projects ink a deal to Create Dominicana Caribbean ShipyardsCiramar Shipyards signed a strategic alliance with Fassmer Technical Projects that establishes the basis for cooperation in various areas, including design and construction of new ships and multipurpose vessels manufactured in the Dominican Republic. The scope of the deal also includes maintenance, manufacture and local marketing of mechanical products, including propellers, stabilization and steering systems…
UK Sends Navy Boats to Jersey After France Threatens Blockade
Britain is sending two navy patrol boats to the British Channel Island of Jersey after France suggested it could cut power supplies to the island if its fishermen are not granted full access to U.K. fishing waters under post-Brexit trading terms.Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged his "unwavering support" for the island after he spoke with Jersey officials about the prospect of the French blockade.Johnson "stressed the urgent need for a de-escalation in tensions," a spokesperson for Johnson said. "As a precautionary measure the U.K.
MAN Hybrid Propulsion Package for Indonesian Navy's New Minehunters
German yard Abeking & Rasmussen has begun the construction of two minehunting vessels for the Indonesian Navy.MAN has won a contract to supply a complete hybrid propulsion package for both vessels.The delivery will include 2 × MAN 12V175D-MM engines delivering 2,220 kW at 1,900 rpm; a MAN Alpha CPP twin screw-propeller system including Alphatronic 3000 propulsion-control system for efficient and flexible maneuvering; and AKA hybrid PTI system for silent operation while minehunting (slow speed with pure electric propulsion).Ben Andres…
MAN to Supply Propulsion Packages for Israeli-built Patrol Boats
MAN Energy Solutions announced Thursday it has won the contract to supply complete propulsion packages to two OPV-45 offshore patrol vessels currently under construction at one of the largest privately owned shipbuilding and repair facilities in the Eastern Mediterranean.Israel Shipyards in Haifa is constructing the new patrol boats for an undisclosed African navy. The vessels are designed for a wide range of missions, including protection against the increasing threat of piracy in the region.The OPV-45 has an overall length of 45.7 m, a displacement of some 300 tons.
iXblue Tech for Oz Navy's New Offshore Patrol Vessels
French tech company iXblue will deliver inertial navigation systems and gyrocompasses for new Royal Australian Navy’s SEA1180 Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV). Based on Fiber-Optic Gyroscope technology, iXblue’s inertial navigation systems will provide the 12 new Arafura Class vessels with highly accurate and reliable navigation capabilities in all environments, including within GNSS-denied operational areas, iXblue said.David Cunningham, commercial director at iXblue: "We would…
Canada's First Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship Delivered
The first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), Harry DeWolf, was delivered to the Government of Canada on July 31, 2020, in Halifax, N.S.Built by Irving Shipbuilding, the new 6,615-metric-ton, 103.6-meter ship is the largest vessel ever built in Canada in a combat package as well as the largest Navy vessel built in the country in more than 50 years. It is also the first warship to be delivered as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), with many more ships to come as part of the Navy's future fleet.
BAE Systems Builds RIBs for Trinidad and Tobago Patrol Ships
BAE Systems has been awarded a contract worth almost £2 million ($2.5 million) to provide six Pacific 24 (P24) rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) to Austal, based in Australia. The RIBs, built and customized in BAE Systems’ Boats factory in Portsmouth, U.K. are being supplied to Austal to equip two Cape-class Patrol Boats under construction for the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard.The P24 is a small and agile boat that can be deployed for a variety of tasks from counter-piracy and counter-narcotics missions, to force protection, rescue and logistics operations.
Ship Jobs to Fuel South Australian Recovery
The ramping up of shipbuilding programs in Adelaide this year is providing an employment lifeline for South Australia as the state’s looks for ways to tackle boost jobs growth post coronavirus.There are already almost 700 people working on the Hunter Class Frigate Program. Those numbers are expected to reach 1000 by, the end of the year and 1,500 by mid-2025 before reaching a peak of 2,400 in 2028.Nine anti-submarine warfare frigates will be built by ASC Shipbuilding at the Osborne…
MAN to Power Thai Navy Newbuilds
MAN Energy Solutions said it has secured a contract to supply the main propulsion engines for two new 41-meter patrol vessels for the Royal Thai Navy. Each vessel will be powered by two MAN 16V175D-MM, IMO Tier II engines, each rated at 2,960 kWm at 1,900 rpm.Marsun Shipyard in Thailand will construct the newbuildings with delivery scheduled for August 2020.The Royal Thai Navy already operates MAN Energy Solutions engines on its Krabi-class offshore patrol vessels; a second such…
Naval Group Delivers OPV "A.R.A. BOUCHARD"
The Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) L’Adroit has adopted the Argentinian flag and becomes the A.R.A. BOUCHARD. The first one of the four OPVs ordered by Argentina has been designed and developed by Naval Group on its own resources. Handed over to the Argentinian Navy two months ahead of schedule and after only ten months of upgrade and modernization works. The three others OPVs will be delivered from April 2021 at the pace of one unit every six months.L’Adroit becomes the A.R.A BOUCHARDSince mid-February…
Royal British Navy's New OPVs Named
The fifth and final new River Class patrol ship for the Royal British Navy was formally named as work on HMS Spey.The ceremony almost closes the chapter on a seven-year program which will give the Royal Navy a flotilla of brand-new patrol ships ready for deployment around the globe.Lady Johnstone, HMS SPEY’s sponsor, named the 2000 tonne vessel by releasing a bottle of special blend Spey whisky from Speyside Distillery that smashed against the ship’s hull.HMS SPEY is the last in a class of five vessels that have been built in Glasgow. With construction starting on the first ship in late 2014, these vessels have provided an important opportunity to maintain essential design…
First Steel Cut for HMS Cardiff
The first steel to be used in Britain's HMS Cardiff, an anti-submarine frigate, was ceremonially cut at BAE Systems' shipyard at Govan, Scotland."We have cut steel for the second Type 26 Global Combat Ship, HMS CARDIFF, marking an important milestone in the program to deliver the most advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capability to the Royal Navy," said a press release from the British multinational defence company.BAE Systems employees and representatives from the Royal Navy, Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, Minister for Defence Procurement, performed the official duties; setting the plasma cutting machine to work on a plate of steel that will form part of the unit that holds vital fuel stores for the ship, it said.The company has designed and built the Type 26 Global Combat Ship in Glasgow.
RAN Expands Training with Kongsberg Simulators
Kongsberg Digital has signed a contract for a delivery of two new K-Sim Full Mission Bridge simulators at the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) HMAS Watson Bridge Simulator Facility in Watsons Bay, Sydney, Australia. The project is a noteworthy addition to Kongsberg’s service delivery contracts with the RAN, which includes multiple shiphandling and engine room simulators delivered at training facilities across the country.The requirement for expansion and intensification of RAN’s training program is the result of a sustained period of growth and capability enhancement for the navy.