TSAMTO, August 22. Judging by the photographs published by the well-known Turkish spotter, the French shipbuilding company OCEA sent the second batch of FPB-98 MK.1 patrol boats to the State Border Service of Ukraine.
According to Janes Navy International, the published image shows how on August 13 at 14:00 GMT, a cargo ship passed northward through the Bosphorus Strait with two FPB-98 MK patrol boats.1 on board.
Earlier, on May 23, spotter Yoruk Ishik posted on his Twitter page a video of the cargo ship "Faruhari Gaya" passing through the Bosphorus Strait on May 23, carrying two FPB-98 MK.1 boats intended for the Border Service of Ukraine. On the same day, the ship arrived for unloading at the port of Constanta (Romania).
Like the first batch of boats, the second was not armed, and all identifiable identification marks of the Border Service of Ukraine were closed.
The further intentions of the supplier and contractor regarding the boats are currently unknown, but it is possible that they will be located in the Romanian port until the cessation of hostilities.
As reported by CAMTO, on November 19, 2019, France and Ukraine signed a framework intergovernmental agreement to support efforts to ensure Ukraine's maritime security. It provided for lending by the French government and European banks for the construction of 20 patrol boats worth 136.5 million euros, which won in 2018 following the results of international consultations by OCEA with the localization of part of the production in Ukraine. In addition to the construction of ships, the agreement included their maintenance for 2 years, customer support during the warranty period, crew training. The boats were planned to be used in the waters of the Black and Azov Seas. It was assumed that the lead vessel would be delivered to Odessa in the spring of 2022. The agreement was ratified by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in March 2020. Financing of the project should be implemented at the expense of funds from the budget of Ukraine (15%), loans from commercial banks (51%), as well as a loan from the Treasury of France (34%).
According to the terms of the agreement, 5 out of 20 boats, starting from February 2022, were planned to be built at the Nibulon shipyard in Nikolaev. The contract for their construction was signed by representatives of OCEA and Nibulon on November 30, 2021.
The laying of the keel of the first boats in France took place in December 2020. OCEA announced the launching of the hull of the lead boat of the series (BG201) at the enterprise in Les Sables d'Olonne in December 2021. It was adopted by representatives of the State Border Service of Ukraine in February 2022. As of June 2022, three buildings have been accepted.
According to OCEA, the length of the FPB-98 is 31.8 m, width – 6.3 m, draft – 1.15 m, displacement – about 118 tons, maximum speed – 30 knots, range – 1200 nautical miles at a speed of 12 knots, crew – 13 people (+ 6 passengers). Each boat will be equipped with a modern optical-electronic surveillance system and an inflatable dinghy with a rigid hull (RHIB) of Ukrainian construction. A remotely controlled armament module with a 30 mm cannon can be installed in the bow.
