The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has
taken delivery of two special mission vessels built in the Netherlands
to fight piracy and maritime crime.
The two vessels were launched by Shipyard De Hoop in Foxhol, the
Netherlands, on 1 July 2019. Sea trials of the DB Abuja (457) were
completed towards the end of October, with the DB Lagos (459) following
the next month.
The two vessels were acquired through Israeli company Blue Octagon to
improve maritime security off Nigeria’s coast, combating issues such as
illegal fishing, terrorism, oil theft, illegal immigration, smuggling
and piracy. They will also assist NIMASA in inspections and search and
rescue.
The vessels were taken into service by NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy
at the end of February and form part of the government’s Integrated
National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure (Deep Blue)
Project. A command, control, computer communication, and information
(C4I) centre began 24 hour operations in August 2019 at the NIMASA base
in Kirikiri, Lagos as part of the project.
Speaking during the vessels’ handover, Chief Security Officer,
Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral M M Bashir said, “piracy is an act
inimical to the growth of the Nigerian maritime sector and we are
prepared, more than ever before, to give it all it takes to end this
nefarious act.”
NIMASA Executive Director, Operations, Rotimi Fashakin said in
addition to the two special mission vessels, ten fast interceptor boats
have been delivered and seven more will arrive later in the year. Two
special mission aircraft, three helicopters, four unmanned aerial
vehicles and 16 armoured vehicles are also being acquired.
“This milestone in asset delivery inches us closer to full
operational take-off of the Deep Blue Project, hence it marks a huge
victory for the Nigerian maritime sector in the fight against maritime
insecurity,” he said of the arrival of DB Abuja and DB Lagos.
The DB Abuja and DB Lagos were custom designed by Shipyard De Hoop.
The 55 metre long vessels feature hybrid diesel-electric power plants
for low fuel consumption, with electric motors used at low speed and
twin Caterpillar diesels providing up to 4 700 kW for full speed (cruise
speed is 21 knots). The DP2-class vessels were developed for round the
clock operations and are capable of remaining on station autonomously
for at least thirty days.
Each vessel can accommodate up to 36 people. A helicopter is able to land on the aft deck, while a pivoting A-frame davit can launch and retrieve interceptor boats weighing up to 5 000 kg.
