Portuguese Navy’s fourth OPV arrives home for first time

NRP Setúbal, the Portuguese Navy’s fourth Viana do Castelo-class offshore patrol vessel, arrived at its homeport at Lisboa Naval Base on March 9.

The ship arrived at the homeport after entering service in a ceremony at the West Seas shipyards in Viana do Castelo early February.

The ship and crew are now scheduled to start preparations for operational training.

NRP Setúbal is the fourth ship built under a contract signed in 2015 between the Portuguese government and the West Sea Shipyards.

It joins NRP Viana do Castelo, NRP Figueira da Foz and NRP Sines that are already in active Portuguese Navy service.

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. They have been replacing the two older classes of corvettes which have over 40 years of active duty.

The Setúbal NRP is commanded by captain-lieutenant Rui Zambujo Madeira and has a crew of 44.