The Iraqi Navy has received the second of four patrol vessels from shipbuilding company Fincantieri’s shipyard in Muggiano.
The €80m project for four patrol boats also includes the provision of logistical support and crew training for each vessel.
The new patrol boat, the Nasir will be escorted to the Suez Canal by Italian Navy vessels and then to Umm Qasr, a port city in southern Iraq by US Navy vessels for a one month voyage to the Persian Gulf.
As soon as the vessel reaches Iraqi territory it will begin patrolling the exclusive economic zone, a 58km of coastline rich in oil fields. the vessel will also be available for search and rescue operations, controlling maritime traffic and firefighting.
The 53.4m-long and 8m-wide Saettia Class vessels can accommodate a crew of 38 and can reach a speed of 23kt.
The first patrol boat, the Fateh was delivered on 15 May 2009, while the third patrol vessel is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2009.
