The Danish company Viking Life-Saving Equipment has secured a contract for seven high-speed boats for the Greek Coastguard. The contract is worth over €20 million.
The contract has been awarded to Viking’s Greek subsidiary, Viking Life-Saving Equipment Hellas. The contract is worth €23.8 million. The order comprises seven Viking Norsafe Magner 1950 patrol boats, which are to be manufactured entirely in Greece. The contract includes an option for seven additional boats.
The procurement is being funded through the Public Investment Programme as part of the co-financed ‘Fisheries, Aquaculture and the Sea 2021–2027’ programme. The contract was signed by the Greek Minister for Maritime Affairs and Island Policy, Vassilis Kikilias, during a ceremony at the Ministry in Athens, attended by representatives of the Coastguard and Viking.
The identically built vessels are each 21.29 m long and have a maximum speed of at least 50 kn. Viking states that their range is more than 320 sm. The vessels are designed for a crew of six, can accommodate at least 30 people and are equipped with modern navigation and communications technology.
Once commissioned, the Coastguard plans to deploy the vessels to patrol Greek waters and protect maritime borders. Other areas of operation include fisheries control and search and rescue operations. Delivery is due to commence within six to twelve months; the boats will be handed over in succession.
At the contract signing ceremony, Minister Kikilias described the procurement as a further crucial step in supporting the Coast Guard’s operational forces. The aim, he said, was “to facilitate their work in the face of the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
“We are honoured by the trust placed in Viking by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Island Policy and the Hellenic Coast Guard,” said John Georgiadis, Tenders & Projects Director in Viking’s Defence & Professional division. “This contract builds on Viking’s more than a century of experience in boatbuilding, as well as the expertise of our team in Greece. The fact that these boats are being built locally underlines our commitment to the Greek shipbuilding industry and to the people who save lives at sea every day.”
“This contract is of great significance both for our ‘Defence & Professional’ business unit and for Viking as a whole. It expands the range of vessels we supply to the Coast Guard, and we are proud to have earned this trust,” added Heidi Bjerge Nüsser, Vice President of Defence, Wind & Aviation.
