The handover ceremony on 13 August was attended by Bangladesh’s Finance Minister Abul Maal Muhith and Managing Director of WMS Sakhawat Hossain, at the company’s shipyard on the Karnaphuli river. 

 

“This is the first offshore patrol vessel built in Bangladesh. This is a milestone for the local shipbuilding industry,” said WMS Chairman Saiful Islam.

 

The vessel was launched on 4 May this year after being ordered on 23 January 2014 by Denmark’s JGH Marine on Kenya’s behalf. MV Doria’s keel was laid in August 2014, and the hull completed in December 2015. 

 

The vessel was wholly designed and developed by Icarus Marine in Cape Town, which designs custom vessels up to 55 metres in composites, steel and/or aluminium with speeds up to 70 knots. According to the company, the vessel has a very advanced hull, optimised for speed and seakeeping. “The vessel met all its contractual performance requirements, which is testament to the know-how and good team work between all the parties,” Icarus Marine said.

 

Upon arrival in Kenya later this month, MV Doria will be handed over to Kenya's Ministry of Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture, when it will be used to secure the East African country’s maritime resources and undertake humanitarian assistance missions.

 

According to WMS, the vessel is 54.7 metres long, and displaces 350 tons empty. Cruising speed is 20-25 knots and top speed is 35 knots with a range 1 500 nautical miles and fuel consumption of 3.6 tons a day. The vessel has 12 crew and can take 60 passengers. A helicopter deck on the back of the vessel can accommodate a five ton helicopter.

 

The vessel is powered by three MTU engines driving two Servogear controllable pitch propellers and MJP waterjets. The propeller engines produce 4 000 kW of power and the waterjet engine 2 720 kW.

 

Kenyan media report the contract as being worth Sh3.5 billion ($33 million). 

 

As its first offshore patrol vessel, construction of the MV Doria is an important milestone for Bangladesh’s shipbuilding industry. Islam said the global shipbuilding industry is experiencing difficulties due to the global economic downturn, but WMS is building over 30 vessels for Norway, the United Arab Emirates, India, Denmark and Bangladesh.

Source : http://www.defenceweb.co.za