ST Marine delivers first Omani patrol vessel

Singapore Technologies Marine (ST Marine) delivered the first patrol vessel RNOV Al Seeb for the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) on 31 March.

The interim delivery of the patrol vessel was followed by the naming and launch of the second vessel, RNOV Shinas. ST Marine won the contract for designing and building four vessels for the RNO in 2012. The first vessel will be delivered in the second quarter of 2015 and the final one in the third quarter of 2016.

NG Sing Chan, president, ST Marine, said: 'ST Marine is delighted that today, together with our esteemed customer and partner, the RNO, we mark two major milestones for the Al-Ofouq project - the interim acceptance for the first patrol vessel RNOV Al Seeb and the naming for the second patrol vessel RNOV Shinas.

'Shinas is a coastal town in northern Oman at the Gulf of Oman.  Like this town, the vessel RNOV Shinas will be deployed to watch over the Gulf leading into the Straits of Hormuz to ensure that the sea lanes are kept open and safe. The vessel will also ensure the sovereignty of the Sultanate of Oman.

'ST Marine wants to thank and appreciate the RNO for their guidance and professionalism in ensuring that together, we continue to achieve or even better what we have achieved so far. With the interim acceptance of RNOV Al-Seeb, we also want to wish her fair winds and following seas as she embarks on the next phase of her journey.'