Ukraine’s new FPB 98 MKI boats pass Istanbul Strait onboard Cargo Vessel

Ukraine's new FPB 98 MKI boats pass Istanbul Strait onboard Cargo Vessel
Ukraine Border Guard's new patrol boats onboard Gaja Cargo Vessel in the Istanbul Strait (Screenshot from Yoruk Işık's video used by under his permission)
On May 23, 2023, a cargo vessel named "Gaja" transited Istanbul Strait en route to Constanta carrying two French-built FPB 98 MKI patrol boats for the Ukrainian Border Guard service.
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The video of the cargo vessel transiting the strait was shared by famous Turkish spotter Yörük Işık on Twitter on Saturday.

Faroohari’s cargo vessel Gaja transited Bosphorus towards Black Sea en route from St. Nazaire to Constanta carrying two Les Sables-d’Olonne built, 32-meter FPB 98 patrol boats with aluminum hulls for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.” Işık said in his tweet.

The further intentions for the delivery of the new patrol boats to Ukraine are yet to be known currently, and it is assessed that the cargo vessel is proceeding to a Romanian port due to the war conditions in the region. The two vessels being transported on the cargo ship bear pennant numbers BG 202 and BG 203 according to Mr. Işık.

Ukrainian Navy reportedly commissioned the last Gyurza-class patrol boat last week, while Russia has announced that they destroyed the last unit of the Ukrainian Naval Forces.

In November 2019, an intergovernmental agreement between France and Ukraine has been signed to support the reinforcement of maritime safety and security in Ukraine. OCEA won the international consultation launched by the Ukrainian Ministry of Interior.

The acquisition contract is for 20 patrol vessels of 32 m type OCEA FPB 98 MKI to ensure the country’s sovereignty in the Black Sea.

Five of the twenty FPB 98 MKI ships ordered were to be built by Ukraine’s Nibulon shipyard in Mykolaiv. The fleet will be accompanied by a range of services, including crew training, vessel maintenance and technical support to the customer during the warranty period. The first vessel is scheduled to arrive next spring from France to Odessa, Ukraine. The OCEA FPB 98 MKI are intended for use in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

About OCEA’s FPB 98 MKI

Ukraine's new FPB 98 MKI boats pass Istanbul Strait onboard Cargo Vessel
Spotted in St Nazaire in early March: Two FPB MKI boats awaiting transfer to Ukraine.

The OCEA FPB MKI are vessels designed by OCEA for Maritime Safety missions from one to two weeks within the Exclusive Economic Zone. Designed to operate as a real naval base at sea, these self-sufficient vessels display key design technologies. Thanks to a combination of high speed and endurance, the high level of equipment and comfort enable the monitoring of a large operational area and the coordination of operations such as:

  • Territorial and deep-sea surveillance operations
  • Smuggling and illegal immigration control
  • Control of vessels at sea
  • Search & rescue
  • Natural resources and blue economy protection
  • Sovereignty

OCEA’s 32 meters-long FPB 98 patrol vessel has a crew complement of 13 sailors and features a maximum speed of 30 knots. The FPB 98 is currently in service with the Suriname Coast Guards, and the navies of Algeria, Benin and Nigeria.

Each vessel will be equipped with a modern optoelectronic surveillance system and a RHIB for the reconnaissance groups of the border guards.

OCEA FPB MKI main characteristics:

  • Length overall: 31.80 meters
  • Width overall: 6.30 meters
  • Draft: 1.15 meters
  • Hull: Aluminum
  • Propulsion: 2x 1,342 kW (waterjet)
  • Crew: 13 sailors (+ 6 passengers)
  • Top speed (fully loaded): 30 knots
  • Range: 1,200 nautical miles @ 12 knots

Here is the Naval News video covering the launch of the first vessel.

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