Portuguese Navy News

Damen Shipyards is building a multifunctional vessel for the Portuguese Navy. The ship will be the first in the world to combine oceanographic research with drone deployment capabilities.The multi-purpose vessel (MPV), named NRP D. João II, has been funded by the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) that is part of NextGenerationEU, the economic recovery package to support EU member states affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.The vessel, measuring 107 meters in length…

Damen Shipyards Group has unveiled a new ship design based on modern defense and security requirements. The Multi-Purpose Support Ship (MPSS) has been co-developed with the Portuguese Navy, the vessel’s launching customer. It is a solution for the increasing use of drone technology in combat and surveillance. In addition to its primary function, the MPSS is designed to fulfil a wide range of additional tasks, including auxiliary roles.Damen has begun construction of the first vessel of this new design.

The Portuguese Navy has contracted Damen Shipyards Group for the design, construction and outfitting of a multi-purpose vessel.The contract was signed by Director of Ships Rear Admiral Jorge Pires and Damen Shipyards Group CCO Jan Wim Dekker. The project follows a European tender process and is funded by the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) that is part of NextGenerationEU (the economic recovery package to support EU member states affected by the COVID-19…

A ship carrying around 4,000 vehicles, including Porsches, Audis and Bentleys, that caught fire near the coast of the Azores will be towed to another European country or the Bahamas, the captain of the nearest port told Reuters on Friday.Lithium-ion batteries in the electric cars on board the vehicle carrier Felicity Ace have caught fire and the blaze requires specialist equipment to extinguish, captain Joao Mendes Cabecas of the port of Hortas said.It was not clear whether the batteries first sparked the fire.“The ship is burning from one end to the other...

A Panamanian-flagged car carrier is crewless and adrift in the North Atlantic Ocean after a fire broke out in a cargo hold on Wednesday.The Portuguese Navy said it coordinated the rescue of 22 crew members from the Felicity Ace about 90 nautical miles southwest of the island of Faial, in the Azores. The Portuguese Navy's ocean patrol vessel NRP Setúbal and four nearby merchant ships participated in the rescue.The mariners were transported by a Portuguese Air Force aircraft to Horta airport, and then to a nearby hotel.

The Defense Materiel Organization (DMO), part of the Dutch Ministry of Defense, has contracted Alewijnse Marine to participate in the mid-life upgrade of N.R.P. Bartolomeu Dias (F333) and N.R.P. Don Francisco de Almeida (F334). Originally built for the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) in the early 1990s, the two Multipurpose (M) frigates were sold to the Portuguese Navy in 2006.Alewijnse has been contracted for the design, construction, assembly and commissioning of the multi-function consoles…

Grupo Lindley was approached by Administração dos Portos do Douro, Leixões e Viana do Castelo in Portugal to improve the reliability of the aids to navigation in the Douro River. Along this stretch of navigable waters there are many piles that when the river floods become totally submerged.In conjunction with Instituto Hidrográfico (Portuguese Navy), Almarin together with sister company Lindley in Portugal has been working on a topmark that performs as a buoy floating off from the pile in high water.

Portugal’s Naval Rocha shipyard is reporting a surge in activity in the opening half of 2018 after delivering a series of drydock, wet basin and pier-side projects.Naval Rocha commercial director Sergio Rodrigues said the yard located in the heart of Lisbon Harbour on the north bank of the River Tagus has completed a wide variety of repair and conversion projects.Key work has involved containers, cruise, passenger and sailing ships, cargo and research survey vessels, naval ships, anchor handing tugs, supply vessels and dredgers.“Naval Rocha is a unique, modern shipyard,” said Mr Rodrigues. “We are located in a prime position in the centre of a European capital city which enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year.

Cohort company EID has been awarded a contract by the Portuguese Navy for the supply of Integrated Communications systems to the Tejo class coastal patrol vessels. The €4.6 million contract encompasses the supply of radio equipment, ICCS, integration engineering and logistic services. The contract also includes additional supplies for the second batch of the Viana do Castelo Oceanic Patrol Vessels, being built by West Sea shipyards in the North West city of Viana do Castelo. “We have been supplying communications systems to the Portuguese Navy ships since 1985.

On 9-10 July 2015, at the Portuguese Navy Base of Alfeite (Almada) in Lisbon, 24 Project Partners from 9 countries demonstrated the ICARUS (Integrated Components for Assisted Rescue and Unmanned Search Operations) system, as final step of the ICARUS European project (http://www.fp7-icarus.eu/) funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP7). Started in 2012, ICARUS has been devoted to develop advanced robotic platforms, which can support crisis intervention teams in detecting, locating and rescuing humans in danger, in maritime and land disaster scenarios.Unmanned Search and Rescue (SAR) devices offer valuable tools for saving human lives and for speeding up the SAR process.

The ICARUS European project aims to develop robotic tools to assist crisis intervention teams. Playing a role in developing the maritime component of this project was NATO Center for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), whose assistance including enhanced autonomy and integration between Unmanned Surface Vehicles and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. On July 9-10, 2015, at the Portuguese Navy Base of Alfeite (Almada) in Lisbon, 24 Project Partners from nine countries demonstrated the ICARUS (Integrated Components for Assisted Rescue and Unmanned Search Operations) system…

General Dynamics Canada is installing an adjunct processing system on three VASCO DA GAMA-class frigates of the Portuguese Navy. Designed by General Dynamics Canada, the ECLIPSE adjunct processor provides the in-service AN/SQS-510 sonar systems with enhanced operational capability to detect submarines and torpedoes. "General Dynamics Canada has a 40-year history of providing and supporting underwater systems and components to navies around the world. As the original designer and manufacturer of the AN/SQS-510 hull-mounted sonar system, we are pleased to bring new capabilities to this valuable and trusted system," said David Ibbetson, vice president, General Dynamics C4 Systems International.

Schat-Harding, a maker of lifeboats and davits, reported a strong orderbook in the third quarter of 2004, with orders totaling $16 million booked, driven by strong demand from passenger ships, offshore rigs, LNG and ice-class tankers and naval vessels. Key passenger ship orders included six CTL38 cruise tenders and 14 MPC32 compact cruise lifeboats with PD davits for two MSC newbuildings at Chantiers de l'Atlantique, eight MPC32 boats and VIP davits for a series of RoPax building at Italy's Visenti yard, and two MPC32 boats with davits for the lengthening of the RCCL Enchantment of the Seas. Offshore orders included two KISS800 systems for the Atwood Beacon rig, four KISS boats and davits for Pemex and two MCB 600 boats for the Dolphin Energy project.

Offshore Systems International Ltd signed the subcontract agreement to supply ECPINS® electronic navigation systems to the Portuguese Navy. The contract is valued at approximately $580 million. OSI's partner in Portugal and the prime contractor for the installation is SICOM - Sistemas de Comunições, Lda, of Lisbon, Portugal.

There has been change in the shareholding at Portugal’s Lisnave following discussions between Germany’s German Industrial Group (GIG) and Portugal’s Estudos e Projectos Navais SA (Navivessel). The original agreement between these two companies included the possibility, if certain conditions and events were met, that GIG would acquire an additional stake of 40% of Lisnave’s share capital, thus obtaining control of the company. However, it has been decided that GIG would not increase its existing share capital and that Navivessel would acquire the 20% share capital acquired by GIG during 2002. The strategic partnership between GIG and Lisnave…

The Portuguese Frigate 'NRP Álvares Cabral' joins the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta – as flagship. During her participation in Operation Atalanta, for the next 4 months, Álvares Cabral will be the EU Naval Force flagship, hosting the Force Commander and his multinational staff on board. NRP Álvares Cabral is a multipurpose MEKO class frigate, 116 meters in length and 3400 tonnes displacement. Speaking about the preparations for joining the Operation, the Commanding Officer…

Seven Spanish crewmen were missing after a Spanish fishing vessel sank in rough seas off the coast of Portugal on Thursday, Reuters reported. The spokesman said that four other sailors, also Spanish, had been rescued from a life raft after the sinking but that the search was continuing for the remaining crew from the "Fatima" which went down in the Atlantic some 150 nautical miles (300 km) west of Lisbon. A Portuguese navy ship and two Spanish boats were involved in the search and a Portuguese air force plane would return to the area at first light, he added.

The Portuguese Navy has awarded a major ship handling simulator contract to KMSS. The contract consists of several naval bridge cubicles located on two different locations connected by a fibre optic network. The main shiphandling bridge will be installed at the Navy's tactical centre and will replicate the bridge of the "Vasco da Gama", a MEKO-class frigate. Each of the two naval training sites will be equipped with different configured bridges providing the capacity to train several bridge crews operating in the same exercise scenario, simultaneously. In addition to the bridge facilities, a simulated OPS room will be installed at the tactical centre to provide tactical information to each scenario.

One of Portugal's largest warships, the Vasco de Gama Class frigate NRP Corte Real added its name to the list of ships (EUNAVFOR) operating in the Horn of Africa sea area. The new addition to the fleet will mount counter-piracy operations, with a view to protecting WFP aid shipments to Somalia. Commissioned into the Portuguese navy in 1990 the Corte Real is no stranger to the Horn of Africa, having previously worked to prevent piracy under the 'OCEAN SHIELD' NATO Operation.

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Campbell, Africa Partnership Station Public AffairsWhile transiting off the coast of Monrovia, Liberia as part of Africa Partnership Station (APS), March 20 High Speed Vessel 2 Swift received a distress call, relayed from the Maritime Regional Coordination Center (RMCC) in Lisbon, of a Portuguese fishing vessel, the Princesa Di Guadiana, stranded 100 nautical miles off the Liberian Coast with no food, water or fuel. The RMCC contacted Lt. Cmdr. Jose Neto of the Portuguese Navy, who is the APS operations officer aboard the USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), APS flag ship. Cap Lara, a Greek flagged vessel, remained in the vicinity until Swift arrived to assist the Princesa.

Siemens is fitting two new U 209mod submarines for Portugal’s navy with the latest propulsion and I&C equipment. The order is worth EUR 58 million and handover of the submarines to the Portuguese navy is scheduled for 2010. The contract also includes an option for the same equipment to be built into a third submarine. This option is worth around 23 EUR million. The submarines will be built at the Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW) and at Nordseewerken in Emden. Both shipyards belong to ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Siemens’ scope of supply includes provision of a Permasyn permanent-magnet electric motor with PEM (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane) fuel cells for supplying power, switchgear and the Nautos automation system.