The Keel-Laying Ceremony for the first 2 Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) destined for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) recently took place at the Western Baltic Shipyard in Klaipeda, Lithuania.

This is the second milestone for the RSN’s OPV project, following the Steel Cutting Ceremony held in October 2024. The time from contract award to keel-laying has been just 17 months.

The RSN’s order for four OPVs was awarded to the German shipbuilder Fassmer GmbH & Co. KG (Fassmer) in November 2023. Designed by Fassmer, the vessels are being built in both Lithuania and Germany.

The new OPVs are slated to progressively join the RSN from 2028 onwards, replacing the current Sentinel-class Maritime Security and Response Vessels (MSRV).

The OPVs are based on Fassmer’s Potsdam-class, currently in service with the German Bundespolizei (Federal Police).

The RSN’s MSRVs will remain in operational service until the new OPVs are delivered and operationalised.

The new OPVs are designed for high manoeuvrability in Singapore’s congested waters, and come equipped with a suite of lethal and less-lethal capabilities, enabling a flexible and calibrated response across a wide spectrum of maritime threats.

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(Image Credit: CPT Charles Chua & CPL Damien Chong (NIC)/RSN Facebook)