Ukrainian Coast Guard to get 5 first FPB 98 patrol boats built by Nibulon and ОCЕА.

According to Militarnyi, Nibulon and ОCЕА entered into an agreement on the construction of five FPB 98 patrol boats for the Ukrainian Border Guard Service.
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FPB 98 patrol boat (Picture source: OCEA)

The Ukrainian Ministry of Industry (MoI) announced that, on November 30, a contract was signed between Ukrainian Nibulon and French OCEA shipbuilding companies for the construction of five FPB 98 boats for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. The agreement was signed by Bohdan Muzyka, Director of the Nibulon shipbuilding and repair plant and on the French side Gonzak Delanoy, OCEA Procurement Director. The production of the patrol boats will be located in Mykolaiv.

OCEA won the international consultation launched in spring 2018 by the Ukrainian Ministry of Interior for the reinforcement of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. The acquisition contract was for 20 patrol vessels of 32 m type OCEA FPB 98 MKI to ensure the country's sovereignty in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Fifteen of these boats will be built in France and the remaining five in Ukraine.

The implementation of this project became possible due to the signing of a framework intergovernmental agreement between Ukraine and France on the 19th of November 2019 in Paris. It provides loans from the French government and European banks for the construction of French patrol boats for the amount of 136.5 million euros. Part of the fleet will be built in Ukraine in Mykolaiv. The fleet will be accompanied by a set of services including crew training, ship maintenance and technical assistance to the customer during the warranty phase.

LLC Shipbuilding and ship repairing plant Nibulon is the most modern in Ukraine. The shipyard successfully continues to implement a rich production and ship repair program. It is constantly mastering advanced solutions and new achievements of the industry and, thanks to the new project, the enterprise will also master modern technologies for working with aluminum alloy, which will significantly expand the range of ship production. Along with the construction of complete vessels of various classes from steel, the plant will also build aluminum vessels for various purposes, including special ones, which will significantly expand the export potential of the Ukrainian shipbuilding industry and bring the enterprise to a new level both in the domestic and international markets of small and medium-sized shipbuilding and ship repair. 

Construction of FPB 98 patrol boats by OCEA in October 2021. (Picture source: MoI of Ukraine)

FPB 98 patrol boat (Picture source: OCEA)

 OCEA FPB 98

The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that the transfer of the first boat, the construction of which began last December, will take place in Odesa. It is planned that it will be launched on December 9. In January 2022, the ship’s crew will undergo special refresh training with French specialists.

The FPB 98 MKI is a maneuverable patrol boat over 30 meters long made of lightweight aluminum, and develops speeds of up to 30 knots, with a range of 1,200 nautical miles with a low draft for sailing in shallow water.

Each boat will be equipped with modern optoelectronic surveillance systems, RIB-boats for reconnaissance groups of border guards, modern weapons. The OCEA FPB 98 patrol boats for the Coast Guard will be equipped with rigid hull inflatable boats by the Ukrainian Brig company.