Nigeria’s HIOSL receives Damen patrol vessel

Damen has delivered a new FCS 3307 Patrol vessel to Nigeria’s Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Limited (HIOSL) following the completion of sea trials in the Netherlands.

The vessel, to be named ‘Guardian 1’, will shortly sail to Port Harcourt, Nigeria, where it will join the HIOSL’s patrol vessel fleet.

HIOSL serves the Nigerian oil and gas industry with a wide range of maritime, security and logistics services. The Lagos headquartered company has ambitious plans to become the leading marine logistics provider in the Nigerian offshore industry.

Guardian 1 will be deployed offshore Nigeria where it will be used for a range of maritime security, crew transfer, and cargo and provision supply missions.

Louis Ekere, managing director, HIOSL, said: ‘The Damen vessel gives us much more speed. This is crucial, as nowadays you really need the most modern equipment before you can get these type of contracts in Nigeria.

‘The vessel could also be delivered very quickly; within seven months. Damen not only builds world-class vessels, they are also great partners for technical support services. We have been blown away by Damen being able to build such a vessel in such a short interval - even ahead of schedule. And we can now take advantage of this because Guardian 1 already has work.’

The Damen FCS 3307 Patrol has a ‘Sea Axe’ bow that gives the vessel advanced capabilities in the water, even in challenging conditions.

Damen will arrange the delivery and commissioning of the vessel, provide training for local crew and engineers and it will deliver a spare parts package.

Ekere added: ‘We want to increase our fleet and become the market leader in the industry. Therefore we would like to secure two more patrol vessels and two platform supply vessels, ideally in the next few years.’