The first FPB 98 MKI on order for Ukraine is launched at the yard French shipbuilder OCEA in Les Sables d'Olonne on 9 December. (OCEA)
French shipbuilder OCEA launched the first FPB 98 MKI patrol vessel on order for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine at its yard in Les Sables d'Olonne on 9 December.
The new vessel, BG201 , is the first of 20 being built under a contract awarded to OCEA by the Ukrainian Ministry of Interior in July 2020. The contract follows an initial government to government agreement between France and Ukraine signed in November 2019 for the 20 FPB 98s. Under the contract terms, five of the boats are to be built locally at Nibulon Shipyard in Mykolaiv.
The first boat is scheduled to be delivered in the second quarter of 2022, with all 20 to be handed over by 2024.
The contract includes crew training, ship maintenance, and the provision of technical assistance to Ukraine.
The new vessels will be used for maritime security operations in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
The FPB 98 MKI patrol boat has a full load displacement of about 118 tonnes, an overall length of 32 m, and a beam of 8.3 m. It can carry a crew complement of 10 in addition to six embarked personnel. It has a top speed of 35 kt and an endurance of 1,200 n miles at 12 kt.
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