Hellenic Navy names four Island-class patrol vessels (Video)

January 21, 2025, by Fatima Bahtić

The Hellenic Navy has held a naming ceremony for four Island-class patrol boats at Salamis Shipyards.

As disclosed, the ceremony took place on January 20, 2025, in the presence of Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias. The four vessels were named Mantouvalos, Galanis, Liaskos, and Gialopsos.

The choice of names is intertwined with the history of the Hellenic Navy and pays tribute to the officers who lost their lives, Dendias noted.

The boats will play a crucial role in safeguarding Greece’s territorial waters, particularly in the eastern Aegean Sea. These boats will primarily focus on conducting patrols in the regions surrounding the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, and Kos, areas that are vital for both national security and the monitoring of migrant flows.

These four vessels were sourced from the surplus inventory of the US Coast Guard and arrived in Greece in 2023. The Hellenic Navy has invested significant resources into their transportation and extensive restoration.

The restoration process, which included extensive upgrades and modifications to the boats, was carried out at the Salamis Shipyard.

On October 10 and 11, 2024, Salamis Shipyards successfully completed the reactivation and all
harbor and sea trials for the two first Island-class patrol boats. The project is part of Greece’s modernization program for the naval forces. The government’s plan for restructuring the armed forces ‘Agenda 2030’ was unveiled last year.

As part of the modernization program, Greece signed a contract with French shipbuilding major Naval Group for three defense and intervention (FDI HN) frigates, plus one optional, and their in-service support to be built for the Hellenic Navy.