Babcock Lays Keel for New Irish OPVs

The Minister for Justice, Equality & Defence, Mr. Alan Shatter, T.D., Announces That the Build of New Naval Service Ship Is Well Underway

I am pleased to announce that a significant milestone has been reached this afternoon (Friday 18th May 2012) in the build process for the first of two new ships for the Irish Naval Service when a traditional Keel Laying ceremony took place in Babcock Marine’s Appledore Shipbuilding Yard in Devon, UK.

The Keel Laying ceremony was attended by senior representatives of the Naval Service the Department of Defence, as well as Naval Service members involved in the build project.

This is not the first time that the Department of Defence and the Irish Naval Service have had an association with Appledore. Two ships, LE Roisin and LE Niamh, were built in this very dockyard over ten years ago and remain key elements of the current Irish Naval Service fleet.

The first ship is scheduled for delivery in early 2014. The second ship will follow in 2015. The new ships will replace two of the older Naval Service vessels, which will be withdrawn from operational service.


BACKGROUND NOTES:

A contract for the provision of two new ships for the Naval Service was placed with Babcock Marine, UK, in October 2010. The contract price is €99m exclusive of VAT and subject to contract terms and final agreed costs. In addition, the cost of providing a weapons system for the ships, similar to the systems on LE Roisin and LE Niamh, will be €7.8m, exclusive of VAT.

Payments on the contract are scheduled over a period of eight years, 2010 to 2017 and are being funded from within the annual Defence budget. The first ship is scheduled for delivery in early 2014. The second ship will follow in 2015. The new ships will replace two of the older Naval Service vessels, which will be withdrawn from operational service.


Source: Irish Ministry of Defence; issued May 18, 2012

Photo: The SeaKing helo overflying Irish Navy (Photo by Yellabelly*'s photostream /flickr)

(5/19/2012)