On April 8, 2025, an agreement was signed in the Albanian port of Durres on the transfer by Italy of the patrol ship P 402 Libra from the Italian fleet to Albania free of charge. Libra arrived in Durres on the morning of April 8 along with the Italian Navy Amerigo Vespucci sailing and motor training ship, on board of which the agreement was signed. The signing ceremony was attended by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Albanian Defense Minister Pirro Vengu, and Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.
The P 402 Libra patrol ship of the Cassiopea type transferred to the Albanian Navy from the Italian fleet. Durres, 04/08/2025 (c) Ministry of Defense of Albania
The P 402 Libra is one of four Cassiopea-class patrol ships of the Italian Navy, built by the Fincantieri shipbuilding association at the Mudgiano shipyard in La Spezia in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Libra joined the Italian navy in March 1991. The ship has a total displacement of 1,720 tons, a maximum length of 81 m and a width of 11.8 m. A two-shaft diesel power plant with a capacity of 11170 kW provides a full-stroke speed of up to 20 knots. The actual crew of the ship in the Italian navy is 64 people (81 people can be accommodated). The armament includes the old 76 mm / 62 mm universal artillery mount Oto Melara MMI (for these ships, they were removed from decommissioned frigates of the Carlo Bergamini type built in the early 1960s), two 25 mm automatic artillery mounts Oto Melara and two 7.62mm machine guns. The ship is equipped with a medium-class helicopter (usually of the Agusta Bell AB212 type).
The former Libra is to become the largest ship of the Albanian Navy (Forca Detare Shqiptare). Currently, the Albanian Navy has only four 43-meter large patrol boats of the Damen Stan Patrol 4207 project (type Iliria), commissioned in 2008-2014, and five small patrol boats, as well as various small watercraft.
Simultaneously with the agreement on the transfer of the Libra patrol ship to the Albanian Navy, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Italian shipbuilding association Fincantieri and the Albanian state-owned KAYO company to establish a joint venture to organize military shipbuilding in Albania.
The P 402 Libra patrol ship of the Cassiopea type transferred to the Albanian Navy from the Italian fleet immediately after arrival in Durres, 04/08/2025 (c) telegrafi.com
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