The Nigerian Navy has marked a significant milestone in its fleet expansion and modernization efforts with the acquisition of a cutting-edge Offshore Survey Vessel (OSV), the OSV 115, from the renowned French shipyard OCEA SA. This state-of-the-art vessel was officially delivered to the Nigerian Navy in Apapa, Lagos, on April 17, 2024, enhancing the nation’s maritime capabilities.
In October 2021, French shipyards OCEA announced that it has won an international tender to deliver a new 35-meter hydrographic research vessel to the Nigerian Navy.
Designed and constructed by OCEA SA, the OSV 115 is a 35-meter vessel tailored for scientific hydrographic and oceanographic missions. Commodore Augustine Adams-Aliu, the Director of Information at Naval Headquarters, highlighted the vessel’s advanced technological features, including medium/shallow water multi-beam echo-sounders and other essential survey equipment. The OSV 115 is set to perform comprehensive surveys in shallow and medium waters, contributing to the Navy’s mission to protect Nigeria’s territorial waters.
The OSV 115 joins the Nigerian Navy’s fleet alongside the OSV 190 ‘NNS LANA‘, another OCEA-built vessel delivered in 2021. The primary function of the new vessel is to conduct hydrographic and oceanographic surveys, aligning with the Nigerian Navy’s ongoing efforts to secure the nation’s waters and support the government’s Blue Economy initiatives.
The Nigerian Navy’s commitment to enhancing its hydrographic charting capabilities began with the local production of internationally recognized nautical charts in 2019. The addition of the OSV 115 is expected to further improve the Navy’s proficiency in this area.
OCEA’s partnership with the Nigerian Navy dates back to 2013, with a total of 18 vessels delivered, including various types of patrol boats. In January 2023, the Nigerian Navy awarded Ocea SSM a contract for the construction of nine vessels in different size categories, including three 46-meter OPV 190s, two 32-meter FPB 96s, and four 15-meter Interceptors. These vessels are set to be integrated into the Falcon Eye Maritime Domain Awareness system, bolstering Nigeria’s maritime surveillance and security.
The longstanding relationship between OCEA and the Nigerian Navy is further evidenced by the inspection of two FPB 98 Mk1 vessels under construction in France by the Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral A.Z Gambo in July 2022. The delivery of these vessels, along with an additional OSV 95, will bring OCEA’s contribution to the Nigerian Navy’s inventory to a total of 21 boats.
The recent delivery of the OSV 115 comes with comprehensive support services from OCEA, including training, spare parts, tooling, and necessary documentation, ensuring the vessel’s seamless integration and operation within the Nigerian Navy’s fleet. The OSV 115 SC-WB class vessel is fully equipped to perform various duties, such as offshore patrols, securing harbors and waterways, search and rescue operations, securing undersea energy infrastructure, and responding to environmental pollution.
As Nigeria continues to enhance its military capabilities to address a variety of security threats, the addition of the OSV 115 to the Nigerian Navy’s fleet represents a significant step forward in safeguarding the nation’s maritime interests and promoting the Blue Economy.
Meanwhile, to support the fleet and provide maritime patrol capabilities, Turkish shipbuilder Dearsan Shipyard recently launched the second OPV 76 offshore patrol vessel for the Nigerian navy. Nigeria is enhancing it’s military capabilities rapidly to better deal with a variety of security threats plaguing the country.