Second patrol vessel for Bulgaria enters production
A rendering of the Bulgarian MMPV based on the OPV-90 design. (Image: NVL Group)
The steel-cutting marks a traditional milestone in the building of a new ship.
Last week, NVL Group and its local partner MTG Dolphin began production of the second modular multipurpose patrol vessel (MMPV) for the Bulgarian Navy.
NVL Group is managing the production of two MMPVs for Bulgaria at the MTG Dolphin yard in Varna.
The first vessel is scheduled for delivery in Q3 of 2025, and the second will follow a year later, in 2026.
Related Articles
Keel laid for first Bulgarian Navy MMPV at MTG Dolphin
Bulgarian Navy Commander RAdm Kiril Mihaylov said: ‘This ship will give the opportunity to Bulgarian naval sailors to fulfil all tasks for defending national maritime interests and to successfully participate in allied operations and missions.‘
Based on the Lürssen OPV-90 design, the two vessels under the project will measure 90m long and displace 2,300t.
Shephard Defence Insight estimates the cost of each ship to be $236.5 million.
The MMPVs will replace obsolescent ex-Soviet vessels, including two Pauk II-class (Project 1241PE) anti-submarine corvettes and one Tarantul III-class (Project 1241.1M) corvette.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Multipurpose Modular Patrol Vessels (MMPV) (1-2) [Bulgaria]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![HHI poised to start submarine production in Peru pending election outcome]()
HHI poised to start submarine production in Peru pending election outcome
South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries confirmed to Shephard that the company is awaiting the Peruvian government’s decision to allow it to move forward with the production of the HDS-1500 submarine.
-
![How the Hormuz mine threat exposes potential Baltic MCM shortfalls]()
How the Hormuz mine threat exposes potential Baltic MCM shortfalls
Ageing Baltic vessels and an absence of active minehunting vessel programmes in the region have been put under the spotlight in the recent conflict.
-
![“We must end the mentality of ever larger platforms”: Why USVs are scaling]()
“We must end the mentality of ever larger platforms”: Why USVs are scaling
Multiple USV programme milestones announced last week, aligned with a reinforcement of the Royal Navy’s vision for a hybrid fleet, point to innovation-led ambition but also to a structural calculation with resource ceilings that neither London nor Washington can ignore.
