Damen hold keel laying ceremony for first of two Pakistani OPVs.

According to a PR published by Damen on October 13, 2022, celebrating the start of the construction of a second batch of two Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Pakistan Navy, the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi performed the initial welding work on the keel of the first vessel at Damen Shipyards Galatí.
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Keel laying ceremony for the second batch of Pakistan OPVs, Romania. (Picture source: Damen)

Mrs. Annelies Damen, a Member of the Supervisory Board, welcomed the Admiral and his delegation on behalf of the Damen family for a celebration of the continued cooperation.

Together with the keel laying of the first vessel planned for completion, the first plates of steel were cut for the construction of the second of two Damen OPV 2600 multi-mission patrol vessels.

These will provide the Pakistan Navy with a highly effective search and rescue capability, and allow it to play an important role in safeguarding international trade routes from piracy and other threats. The ships are equipped for extended range and performance and benefit from advanced communication systems.

This order for two more OPV vessels from Damen was issued by the Pakistan Navy following their positive experiences with two OPV’s from the Shipyard Group they already operate.

The initial order for the construction of two OPVs was awarded to Damen by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s Ministry of Defense Production following the completion of a transparent bidding process in which Damen’s design and construction proposal was found to be the most suited for Pakistan’s maritime needs.

In February and November 2020, two OPV 2300’s were delivered. The performance and capabilities of these vessels, known in the Pakistan Navy as the Yarmook class, led to second order. The two bigger OPVs are planned for delivery in February and August 2024.

The Admiral underscored the importance of OPVs in the maritime domain in his speech at the ceremony. These ships will act as force multipliers in enhancing the navy’s capability of safeguarding maritime frontiers and will offer more flexibility for the Regional Maritime Security Patrols (RMSP) in the Indian Ocean.

The Pakistan Navy has been playing its role in providing a secure sea environment, not only to Pakistan but also to the world community. The Admiral appreciated the professional competence of Damen design and construction teams.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Pakistan Navy, the Romanian Navy and local administration of the city of Galatí as well as directors from Damen Shipyards.

The Yarmook-class corvette is a class of corvettes in service with the Pakistan Navy. The primary role of the class is to patrol the sea area. The displacement of both vessels is 2300 tonnes.

They are designed to carry out a variety of maritime operations and are able to transport both a helicopter and a UAV. They can also carry two high-speed rigid-hulled inflatable boats of 11.5 meters and 6.5 meters simultaneously. In addition to that, they are designed to accommodate two twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) for special mission-based operations.

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