Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri on Wednesday held the steel cutting ceremony at its Muggiano yard in La Spezia for the first offshore patrol boat for Qatar's defence ministry - part of a 4 billion euro order.
The "prestigious" contract envisages the supply of seven surface vessels, of which four corvettes, one amphibious vessel and two offshore patrol vessels as well as support services in Qatar for further 10 years after the delivery of the boats, Fincantieri said in a statement.
All the units will be entirely built in Fincantieri Italian shipyards after it beat off other competitors due a project recognised as the most advanced and innovative of all and its experience in the construction of hi-tech vessels, said the statement.
The first patrol vessel, of which the first steel was cut on Wednesday, will be a flexible type of ship capable of fulfilling different kinds of tasks, from surveillance to warfare, the statement said.
The boat will be about 63 meters long and 9.2 meters wide, with a maximum speed of 30 knots and it will be able to accommodate on board 38 persons of the crew. Its propulsion system has four variable pitch propellers, two to starboard and two to the left, each in line with a diesel propulsion engine.
The vessel will also be capable of operating a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat through a crane located at the stern, Finmeccanica added.
Fincantieri is one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups. It is the market leader in cruise ship design and construction and in all high-tech shipbuilding industry sectors, from naval to offshore vessels, high-complexity special vessels and ferries to mega yachts, as well as in ship repairs and conversions, production of systems and mechanical and electrical component equipment and after-sales services.
The Fincantieri group has around 20 shipyards in 4 continents, over 19,000 employees and is the leading Western shipbuilder, according to the statement.
