OPV Replacement

[Stoker]

Indeed! Why the delay? Should they not start cutting steel the day after the contract is signed? Is it because of their RN carrier commitment, or is the reason from our side?

Could be both, the shipyard may not have production space for some months, a busy yard would be booked up for up to two years, if there was any fear of them loosing the order they would find space quickly enough. When the tenders were coming in for building Ulysses Fincanteiri could not meet the delivery time as they were building a ferry for P&O but when they saw the order slipping away they came back with a better time provided they could build some of the hull sections in Croatia and bring them across the Adriatic by barge. The 100 million order went to Aker Finnyards who delivered on time.
The cutting of steel usually means a stage payment as well as being a symbolic event, I don't know what the practice is in British yards but in the Continental yards they weld a coin from both country's on the steel plate, then they all go off to lunch, they are still the best of pals at that stage but as the building moves on relations have been known to cool, at the end the daily row becomes the morning noon and night row, all great fun.

[ZULU]

Further design time?

[DeV]

See post 1275 its probably because it doesn't take 4 years to build a vessel of that size!

[ZULU]

Wishful thinking?

131m LOA MRV along the lines of Canterbury to scale at Cobh in Google Earth

[Goldie fish]

Busy at work again then?

[DeV]

Minister Killeen added “As you will all be aware, my colleague the Minister for Finance and I were very pleased to be able to announce during our recent visit to the Naval Base that Government approval had been granted for the purchase of two new Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Naval Service. The Government's decision is of course subject to the negotiations with the preferred bidder, Babcock Marine, reaching a satisfactory conclusion. Today, I am delighted to report that very good progress has been made since the announcement and I am confident that I will be in a position to formally place a contract within a number of weeks.

[Goldie fish]

Yup, September was promised.

[danno]

Sept is nearly up,any word on the contracts?

[DeV]

The first of these modern new vessels is scheduled for delivery in early 2014. It is very heartening to be able to deliver such positive news for the Naval Service in these difficult times.

http://www.defence.ie/WebSite.nsf/Speech+ID/8571EE8D54861801802577B400421C9D?OpenDocument

[danno]

http://www.defence.ie/WebSite.nsf/Sp...D?OpenDocument

He still has not said if the contract has been signed,merely repeated what was already stated in HBL.

[Goldie fish]

551. Deputy david stanton asked the minister for defence the progress made in procuring two new ships for the naval service; when the contracts are due to be signed; the estimated cost of each ship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36143/10]

minister for defence (deputy tony killeen): A strategy for the replacement of naval service offshore patrol vessels (opvs) commenced in 2007 and following a two-stage tender competition a preferred bidder, babcock marine, was selected last year. During my visit to the naval base at haulbowline last july, i announced that approval had been granted to proceed to contract placement. a contract has now been placed with babcock marine and that the first new vessel is scheduled for delivery in early 2014. The second vessel will follow one year later. The contract value is of the order of €100m.

The acquisition of these modern new vessels, combined with a continuous process of refurbishment and repair, will ensure that the operational capability of the naval service is maintained at a satisfactory level.

contracts signed!

[Morris]

Hopefully the government doesn't take the approach of ''oh they're getting two ships-that'll do them for years''.

[Goldie fish]

Hopefully the government doesn't take the approach of ''oh they're getting two ships-that'll do them for years''.

The government has already committed itself to replacing the fleet on an ongoing basis.

So you have no frame of reference, Donny. You're like a child who wanders in in the middle of a movie and wants to know--

Read the thread please.

[Lordinajamjar]

contracts signed!

Excellent!

[hptmurphy]

Suppose that means we are now officially not interested in the T&T vessels.

Finally.

Oh look..right again....