Navy Takes Delivery Of Offshore Survey Vessel From France

The Nigerian Navy (NN) has taken delivery of a state-of-the-art Offshore Survey Vessel (OSV) from French shipyard OCA SA.

A statement by the Director of Information, Naval Headquarters, Commodore Augustine Adams-Aliu, said the cutting-edge OSV 115 vessel was delivered to the NN in Apapa, Lagos on April 17, 2024.

He said the OSV 115 designed and manufactured by OCEA SA, is a 35-meter vessel built for scientific hydrographic and oceanographic missions.

Adams-Aliu stated that the vessel, equipped with progressive technology, including medium/shallow water multi-beam echo-sounders and other essential survey equipment, is primed to conduct in-depth surveys in shallow and medium waters.

“This latest addition to the NN fleet will operate in tandem with the OSV 190 ‘NNS LANA’, also built and delivered by OCEA in 2021.

“The primary role of the new vessel is to conduct hydrographic and oceanographic surveys, supporting the ongoing NN efforts to safeguard Nigerian territorial waters and optimize the current administration’s Blue Economy initiatives,” he added.

He recalled that the NN commenced local production of internationally recognised nautical charts in 2019 and the newly acquired OSV will further improve NN hydrographic charting proficiency.

“The delivery of the OSV 115 vessel comes with comprehensive support services, including training, spare parts, tooling, and necessary documentation, ensuring seamless integration and operation within the Nigerian Navy’s fleet,” he noted.

The statement added that the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, thanked the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his unwavering support to the NN in her fleet renewal aspirations.