ISLAMABAD: The steel-cutting ceremony of the first Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV-II) being constructed for the Pakistan Navy was held at M/s DAMEN Shipyard Galati, Romania, on Saturday.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Romania Dr Zafar Iqbal was the chief guest on the occasion. Owning to the satisfactory performance of the first batch of OPVs (PNS Yarmook and PNS Tabuk) in the Pakistan Navy; the contract for the second batch of OPVs had been given to the M/s DAMEN.
These vessels are multi-purpose and highly-adaptive platforms equipped with state-of-the-art electronic warfare, anti-ship, anti-air weapons and sensors along with modern self-protection and terminal defence systems.
Addressing the ceremony, the chief guest underscored the importance of OPVs in the maritime domain.
He emphasized that these platforms would act as force multipliers in enhancing the PN capability to safeguard maritime frontiers and would offer flexibility in conduct of the Pakistan Navy’s initiative of independent regional maritime security patrols in the Indian ocean. He said the Pakistan Navy had been successfully playing its role in providing a secure sea environment, not only to Pakistan but also to the world community. He appreciated the professionalism of the M/s DAMEN and cooperation in delivering cutting edge technologies to the Pakistan Navy in the form of OPVs.
The ceremony was attended by the chief naval overseer (Romania), senior management of M/s DAMEN, Gorinchem and Galati and officials of the Pakistan Navy.