Italian shipbuilder Intermarine has started fiberglass lamination of the hull for the second new-generation minehunter being built for the Italian Navy under a program aimed at modernizing the service's mine countermeasures capabilities.
The milestone was reached at the company's shipyard in Sarzana, as construction progresses under a 2024 contract awarded by the Italian Navy's Directorate of Naval Armaments (NAVARM) to Intermarine and Leonardo, acting as a temporary joint venture.
The contract covers the delivery of five next-generation minehunter/coastal (NGM/C) vessels, along with integrated logistics support.
The lamination ceremony was attended by Chief Inspector Admiral Cristiano Nervi, Director of Naval Armaments, alongside local authorities and representatives from Intermarine and its parent company, IMMSI Group. During the event, the companies also unveiled the hull of the first NGM/C vessel, which has entered the outfitting phase.
Designed to replace and enhance the Italian Navy's mine countermeasures fleet, the new vessels will combine advanced composite-material hulls with unmanned systems to expand operational capabilities beyond traditional minehunting missions.
According to Intermarine, the NGM/C class will be capable of detecting and neutralizing naval mines while also supporting seabed surveillance and the protection of critical underwater infrastructure, including energy pipelines, power cables, telecommunications networks and other subsea assets. The vessels will also be able to conduct missions related to safeguarding underwater cultural heritage.
The second vessel will follow the same production schedule as the lead ship. Like previous generations of Intermarine minehunters, the new class features a hull and structural components built entirely from advanced composite materials. The design is intended to provide resistance to underwater explosions while maintaining low magnetic and acoustic signatures—key characteristics for mine countermeasure operations.
Intermarine said the latest generation of minehunters builds on decades of research and development in composite naval construction, combining the proven survivability of non-magnetic hulls with unmanned technologies to improve operational safety, increase mission effectiveness and extend the navy's capabilities across the underwater domain.
Recently, the company also won a tender issued by the General Command of the Guardia di Finanza for the construction of two patrol vessels. The contract, which will be signed once the technical and administrative procedures set out in the tender specifications have been completed, provides for the immediate start of construction of the first two vessels in the class. It also includes an option for a further 15 vessels plus the associated logistical support, for an additional value of €260 million.
The new vessels, designed to minimize their environmental impact, will be fitted with a modern hull capable of delivering ‘excellent performance and superior seaworthiness’, according to Intermarine.