The Republic of Ireland has donated a decommissioned offshore patrol vessel to the Armed Forces of Malta to help it deal with the migration crisis.

The 65.2-metre LÉ Aoife will be the largest boat in Malta’s maritime squadron. It was the longest-serving vessel in the Irish fleet when it was decommissioned last month after 35 years of operational service.

Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said the donation would support Malta’s work on border security and the migration crisis, assisting the AFM in its maritime search and rescue operations and humanitarian work.

The AFM fleet currently includes four inshore and three offshore patrol vessels.

I welcome this very important contribution from Ireland, which will help in bridging a gap in Malta’s naval capacity

“I welcome this very important contribution from Ireland, which will help in bridging a gap in Malta’s naval capacity pending our future acquisition of a new offshore patrol vessel,” said Mr Abela.

Irish Minister Coveney said that while the vessel was no longer viable for use in Irish waters, it was ideally suited to address the shortfall in Malta’s military capacity.

“Recent tragic events in that part of the Mediterranean have underlined the significant challenges which need to be addressed by the international community, and Ireland is very keen to play an active part in this regard,” he said.

During its years of service, mainly as a fisheries protection vessel but also on search and rescue missions, the Aoife sailed in excess of 600,000 nautical miles. Its crew boarded over 4,700 vessels at sea and detained over 440 fishing vessels.

A maritime expert who spoke to Times of Malta said that any concerns over the vessel’s age were unfounded and that it would not necessarily require exceptional maintenance or running costs.

He added that the Aoife was better suited than the current AFM fleet for long-distance missions, which it could carry out at a far lower cost, making it a valuable addition.