In October, the first of 20 patrol boats for the State Border Guard Service will be launched for testing - Arsen Avakov
Three hulls of patrol boats of the French company OSEA have already been adopted for installation of equipment and testing of systems. Water testing will begin in October. Delivery of the first boats to Ukraine is expected in December 2021.
It is planned that in 2022, border guards will receive nine French 32-meter boats to strengthen maritime security.
The total amount of the contract is 136.5 million euros.
This was announced by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov.
In total, by 2024, border guards will receive 20 patrol boats of the company OSEA, five of them will be built in Ukraine by the company “Nibulon”. In addition to the production and supply of vessels, the project includes a service system, training of crew members and technical personnel, as well as technical support in Ukraine.
“I am pleased to announce that the hulls of three boats of the French company OCEA for the State Border Guard Service are fully ready. Equipment is installed on them and water tests begin. We expect nine new vessels to strengthen the maritime border protection and protection system next year. They are light and maneuverable boats made of marine aluminum, which produces less sediment and can operate in shallow water. These are environmentally friendly vessels for long-term operation,” said Arsen Avakov.
The crew of these ships is 13 people, a range of about 1,200 nautical miles, autonomy from 7 to 10 days. All ships will be equipped with a high-speed rib boat of Ukrainian production.
He added that under the contract five vessels will be built in Nikolaev by the company “Nibulon”.
“Localization of production was a key requirement of this contract. Ukraine will not only receive new boats, but also acquire modern technologies for the construction of ships, which will allow in the future to independently service vessels and develop its own production on the mainland of the country,” Arsen Avakov said.
For the implementation of the project at the Nibulon Shipbuilding Plant, changes were made in accordance with the requirements of the French side. In particular:
- renovated and prepared an aluminum processing workshop for the manufacture of complete vessels from the marine AMG. The area of the workshop is 2562.6 m2.
- expanded and enlarged the gate for the exit of a fully equipped boat.
- an additional internal tap is installed.
- purchased Liebherr LPS180 crane for lowering boats and additional equipment for ESAB Plasma cutting machines for working with aluminum.
- Certification of the plant according to international standards ISO Bureau Veritas has been carried out.
- There is a recruitment of a team of workers who will go to the shipbuilding facilities of OCEA, France for internships.
The first group of designers and technicians will go for internships and experience at the end of this year.
Recall that this is the second Ukrainian-French project, after the aviation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, on the scale. The cost of the contract is 136.5 million euros. The implementation of the project is planned, including with partial financing from credit funds, both commercial banks and a treasury loan from the French Ministry of Finance. The loan is provided by the state of France. 15% is paid by Ukraine from the budget. 85% credit funds.
