Newly-commissioned NRP Sines arrives at Lisboa Naval Base for first time

The Portuguese Navy’s newest-commissioned offshore patrol vessel NRP Sines has arrived at her homeport at Lisboa naval base for the first time.

Sines and her crew arrived on August 4, and will soon start operational training (Plano de Treino Operacional in Portuguese).

Though the ship officially entered service at the West Sea Shipyards site on July 20, she still doesn’t have the 30mm MARLIN cannon.

According to the Portuguese Navy, NRP Sines and the fourth ship in the class – NRP Setubal – will receive the cannons this December or January next year, when Setubal is scheduled to be handed over to the Portuguese Navy.

NRP Sines (P362) is the third ship of the Viana do Castelo-class OPVs and was launched in 2017. Sines measures 83 meters in length and has a flight deck capable of accommodating a Super Lynx MK95 light helicopter but with no hangar facilities.

The armament of the new OPVs consists of a 30mm Oto Melara Marlin gun, two 7.62 mm lmg gun mounts as well as two launching systems for MK55 Mod 2 mines.

These vessels are designed to operate unmanned systems and are equipped with a single Sagem SA Vigy 10 MKIII naval surveillance and observation platform, three water cannons, and two rigid inflatable boats.