New patrol boat commissioned

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday presided over the commissioning ceremony of the new Diciotti class patrol boat donated by the Italian government under the fifth Italo-Maltese Financial Protocol, at the AFM Maritime Squadron in Pieta. The vessel...

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday presided over the commissioning ceremony of the new Diciotti class patrol boat donated by the Italian government under the fifth Italo-Maltese Financial Protocol, at the AFM Maritime Squadron in Pieta.

The vessel will serve as replacement for the ex-East German navy Kondor class offshore patrol boats that have recently been decommissioned. The 54-metre-long, 450-tonne craft is capable of a maximum speed of 20 knots and an unrefuelled range of over 3,000 nautical miles.

Facilities include the daytime landing and refuelling of light to medium helicopters (up to the size of the Augusta-Bell 212-type in calm to moderate sea conditions), thus offering the AFM, for the first time, the capability of conducting aerial offshore operations.

The 25-man crew will work in an air-conditioned environment specifically designed to reduce fatigue and improve efficiency. The vessel is constructed throughout to the standards set by RINA, the Italian classification society.

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