A Ukrainian delegation visited the OCEA shipyard on 29th October to witness the construction of the OCEA FPB 98 MK II patrol boats for the reinforcement of the Ukrainian Border Guard (State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Derzhavna Prykordonna Sluzhba Ukrayiny). The fleet is accompanied by a set of services including crew training, ship maintenance and technical assistance to the customer during the warranty period. A total of twenty 32-metre patrol boats have been ordered by Ukraine to OCEA shipyard, five of which will be built directly in Ukraine, in Mykolaiv. These vessels will ensure the country’s sovereignty in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.
OCEA and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGSU) inked a € 136.5 million contract for the procurement patrol boats on July 22, 2020. Ukrainian and French governments were negotiating for the joint production of 20 FPB 98 patrol boats designed by the OCEA shipyard in June 2019. The Government of Ukraine finally gave its green light for the procurement of the patrol vessels in November that year. Five of which will be built directly in Ukraine, in Mykolaiv. It was announced last month that local shipyard Nibulon Shipbuilding has been selected to build five of the patrol vessels.
According to Ocea, the FPB 98 is 32 metres long and six metres wide, has a crew of 14 and a top speed of 20-35 knots with a range of 1 200 nautical miles at 12 knots. Armament can include a 30 mm cannon. A rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) can be launched from the back of the vessel – new FPB 98s carry a single RHIB. Ocea has sold a number of FPB 98 boats around the world, including to Algeria, Benin, Suriname and Nigeria. OCEA S.A. is French leader in Aluminium Shipbuilding. Specialized in the design, building and support of aluminium vessels up to 90 meters, OCEA S.A. has rapidly expanded since its establishment.
