VT to supply Trinidad&Tobago OPV's

VT to supply Trinidad & Tobago OPV's

Britain's VT Group is to build and manage three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) for Trinidad and Tobago. The contract includes associated training and long-term maintenance support.

The program, which was part of a proposal from the Government of the United Kingdom and VT Group to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, is valued a around $300 million. Contracts were signed in Trinidad on Thursday April 5.

Design work will start immediately on the 90 meter long ships, which will be used for a range of Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ) management, special operations and maritime law enforcement tasks. They will be operated by the Trinidad and Tobago Coastguard and the first ship will be handed over in 2009.

The contract will sustain around 200 skilled jobs and create a further 100 new positions at VT's Portsmouth Naval Base shipbuilding facility.

VT Chief Executive Paul Lester commented: "The program will give additional long term visibility to the order book of our shipbuilding business and is a further notable export success for VT following our contract in Oman. We anticipate that production will start at Portsmouth in autumn 2007."

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