PORT KLANG, Jan 3 – The first Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV 1) is able to function as a mothership for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s (MMEA) and help boost its readiness in safeguarding the country’s waters.
Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ruji Ubi said the 83-metre-long and 13.7-metre-wide vessel, which was constructed using the Damen 1800 ship design, is capable of operating at sea for up to 21 days without the need for resupply.
“This OPV1 is outfitted with X-band and S-band Radar to facilitate patrol mobility and can accommodate up to 70 crew members in a single operation. With a maximum speed of 21 knots, this vessel is also equipped with facilities such as a helipad and a detention room.
“In addition to its capacity to navigate through rough seas up to Force 7, this vessel is able to carry out tasks such as humanitarian aid and disaster relief and can serve not only as a logistics ship and mothership, but also as a command ship and a storage facility for oil pollution equipment,” he said at the handover ceremony of OPV1 between TH Heavy Engineering Berhad (THHE) and the Home Ministry Tuesday night.
Ruji said that OPV1 is also equipped with advanced gear such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a 30mm Aselsan Smash Cannon, two rigid hull inflatable boats, and a fast interceptor craft.
According to him, the handover of OPV1 marked another key milestone for the ministry in securing the completion of a domestically made patrol vessel that had previously been delayed due to the spread of COVID-19.
“It is hoped that will be able to further strengthen MMEA’s operations in enforcing maritime laws safeguarding the safety of the Malaysian Maritime Zone,” he added.
