Portugal is looking to procure eight new CPVs as part of its national fleet renewal programme. (VNSD)
The Portuguese Navy is progressing an ambitious effort to replace its Tejo- , Argos- , and Centauro-class coastal patrol vessels (CPVs) with a fleet of eight new ‘disruptive' multi-purpose platforms under the service's Navio de Patrulha Costeiro (NPC) project.
A navy spokesperson confirmed to Janes on 27 May that the service is planning to issue an international tender for the construction of the first NPC in 2024 as part of its national fleet renewal programme. Construction of the first ship will not necessarily be carried out in Portugal, the spokesperson said.
Under current planning, the first NPC will be commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The NPC is designed to carry out maritime patrol and surveillance, search-and-rescue (SAR), border control, logistics support, and research survey roles, as well as support diving and special forces operations.
The remaining seven ships will be acquired for commissioning by 2034, including two in the dedicated oceanographic research role.
According to the spokesperson, the procurement model for the additional ships is to be defined at a later stage.
The conceptual and preliminary design projects for the NPC have now been completed, and the detailed design project is being developed. The navy said the latter would only be completed during the first ship's construction phase.
Vera Navis Ship Design (VNSD), the Portuguese design office, is responsible for the consolidation of the concept, basic, and detailed design package under a contract awarded by the Portuguese Navy's Directorate of Ships in June 2023. Hydrodynamic testing facility Stadt Towing Tank and naval architecture and marine engineering specialist MAURIC were contracted by VNSD to assist with the design activity.
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