A joint venture company that includes UAE shipbuilder Al Seer Marine (ASM) has been awarded a AED1.3 billion (US$350 million) contract by UAE defence and security acquisitions authority Tawazun Council for the manufacture of new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).

The project will have a duration of four years, during which the joint venture partners will build new OPVs for use by the UAE Navy.

The vessels will be capable of conducting a wide range of missions such as patrols and surveillance of exclusive economic zone waters; counter-piracy; counter-smuggling; environmental protection; maritime law enforcement; search and rescue; and disaster relief.

To ensure the peak performance of the fleet, the contract also includes a comprehensive integrated logistics support (ILS) package. This comprehensive framework will ensure predictive maintenance planning, bespoke training analysis, and proactive inventory and obsolescence management.

ASM said the ILS package has been designed to enable the vessels to remain mission-ready with minimal downtime, enhancing seamless functionality.