Article Posted on : - Mar 16, 2011

An artistic representation of Gowind OPV (offshore patrol vessel).

PARIS (BNS): DCNS has completed the hull construction of the new  vessel, 'Gowind' OPV for the French Navy on schedule, a media report said.

According to ARMS TASS, the OPV (offshore patrol vessel) will be used for the protection of the marine economic zone of the nation.

The ship is constructed in Group Lorient shipyard, Atlantic coast of the France.

The latest OPV of the family is optimised for maritime surveillance and a wide range of coast guard and naval missions.

Two other important tasks – the installation of the shaftlines between the prime movers and the propellers and bow-to-stern network cabling – are already at an advanced stage.

On completion, the ship will be made available to the French Navy for three years with a view to achieving ‘sea proven’ and ‘operations qualified’ seals of approval attested by a world-class navy, thereby giving DCNS two key arguments when promoting the Gowind family on the international market, it said.

The company has scheduled the launch of the ship by the spring of this year.