Damen launches first Pakistan Navy OPV in Romania

The first of two Pakistan Navy offshore patrol vessels (OPV) was launched in Galata, Romania, the Pakistan Navy announced on May 17.

The ship was launched after starting construction in a keel-laying ceremony in April 2018.

While the navy refers to them as corvettes, the two vessels built by Dutch shipbuilder Damen are based on the company’s OPV designs.

In its announcement on May 17, the navy revealed that the ships will displace 2300 tons, which indicates that they are based on the Damen OPV2400 design. According to company specifications, the OPV2400 measures 90 meters in length, includes a flight deck and hangaring space and achieves a maximum speed of 23 knots.

The two OPVs are built under a contract from June 2017.

The first unit is scheduled to be delivered by the end of the year, according to the navy.