India’s Goa Shipyard has delivered the second of two 2500 tonne Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPVs) to the Sri Lankan Navy, the Indian Ministry of Defence announced on 23 March.
The keel for the vessel was laid in May 2015 and the vessel was launched in May 2017. The first AOPV of the series, Sri Lanka Navy ship Sayurala, was delivered in July 2017.
Shekhar Mital, Rear Admiral (Rtd), Indian Navy, said: ‘This state-of–the-art and largest ship in the Sri Lanka Naval fleet will help meet the increasing requirement of the Sri Lanka Navy for undertaking policing and patrolling of its vast exclusive economic zone.
‘Great care, attention and forethought have gone in ensuring that this vessel is built to highest standards and the same has been validated in the harbour and sea trials, where ship has achieved all design specifications, to the satisfaction of our special friend Sri Lanka Navy.’
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