Metal Shark to build NCPVs

Metal Shark has been awarded a foreign military sales contract by the US Navy to construct Near Coastal Patrol Vessels (NCPVs) for US partner nations, the company announced on 23 June. The contract has a potential value of more than $54 million. 

Under the terms of the contract, Metal Shark will build up to 13 85-foot Defiant-class welded aluminium cutters for the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala and other US partner nations. 

The company will also supply electro-optical infrared sensors, diagnostic equipment, in-country reactivation, crew familiarisation and test support to NCPV operators.

Based on Damen Shipyards’ Stan Patrol 2606 design, the new vessels will be tailored to meet the requirements of the NCPV mission.

The NCPV fleet will be built at Metal Shark’s waterfront shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana. The shipyard recently completed the delivery of six 88-foot, high-speed passenger vessels for New York City’s new NYC Ferry Service and also delivered the first six of 18 45’ patrol boats to the Vietnam Coast Guard.

Chris Allard, CEO at Metal Shark, said: ‘The NCPV award is the first result of a multi-year collaboration between Damen and Metal Shark. The Damen team has consistently provided us with outstanding technical support, their designs are thoroughly proven in service across a range of markets and their global service network has proven to be a very powerful selling feature.

‘Metal Shark is eager to begin NCPV construction and showcase our capabilities as we quickly and efficiently build and deliver these state of the art patrol cutters.’