Tunisian ship builder, Société de Constructions Industrielles Navales (SCIN), launched a locally built 27m patrol boat, the Kerkouanne, in early May in the town of Sfax.
The Kerkouanne is the third such patrol boat to be built under a public-private partnership between SCIN and the Tunisian Navy. The partnership was initiated in 2012 as part of a national strategy of military industrialisation.
SCIN commenced construction of the first hull in March 2013 and completed the lead vessel, the Istiklal, in July 2015. The Istiklal formally entered service in August 2015.
The second hull, the Utique, was launched