The first boat built to protect the maritime borders of Ukraine has been launched in France
Today, the first boat FPB98MKI was launched in France, built to protect the maritime borders of Ukraine. The final works on the installation, commissioning and preparation of the ship's equipment for mooring tests are currently being completed. And already in the spring, after running tests, a new boat is expected to arrive in Ukraine.
The event was held with the participation of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to France Vadim Omelchenko, the General Director of the OSEA company Roland Joassar, the management and management of the OSEA company, as well as representatives of the working group of the State Border Service on supervising the construction of boats.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to France Vadim Omelchenko thanked the French side for the performance of the contract and noted that one of the achievements of this contract is that 5 of the 20 boats planned to be built will be produced in Ukraine with the help of French specialists at Ukrainian facilities in Nikolaev.
Deputy Head of the Department of the Maritime Protection Organization of the Administration of the State Border Guard of Ukraine Vladislav Shmalev, who is in France together with the working group of the State Border Guard Service on supervising the construction of boats, noted that the built boat can reach speeds of up to 30 knots (about 60 km/h). Its tests will begin next week and will last until the end of January. In addition, Vladislav Shmalev added that in the near future Ukrainian border guards will arrive in France, who, under the supervision of specialists of the OSEA enterprise, will learn how to operate and maintain new equipment.
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Mary Akopian said that in April, after carrying out the necessary factory tests, the ship will arrive in the port of Moscow. Odessa.
“In the near future, the Ukrainian crew of the ship will undergo special training and gain the experience of French colleagues. We expect that within three years the result of the successful implementation of agreements between Ukraine and France will be the receipt of 20 such ships by the State Fiscal Service. Five of them, under the terms of the contract, will be built using modern French technologies in Ukraine at the Nibulon shipbuilding enterprise. Work started! Boats will be launched from the Nikolaev plant by the end of 2023,” said Mary Akopyan.
The Deputy Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, who is currently in France on a working visit, thanked the French partners for their support of ambitious Ukrainian projects!
“Together we will create a powerful fleet of the State Border Service of Ukraine and bring our shipbuilding industry to a qualitatively new level,” said Mary Akopian.
Department of Communications of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
