President Akufo-Addo commissions 4 fighter vessels in Sekondi

Four offshore security vessels have been duly commissioned for the Western Naval Command in Sekondi, Western Region on Friday, February 25.

The vessels which were commissioned by President Nana Akufo-Addo were named after some river bodies in the country namely GNS Volta-P40, GNS Densu- P41, GNS- Pra and GNS Ankobra-P3.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, President Nana Akufo Addo says the vessel forms part of the government’s effort to retool the Ghana Navy to fight against terrorism in Ghana’s territorial waters.

He added that government is bent on strengthening its land borders, notably the northern front, to this end, military bases will be established along the northern perimeters.

“The northern project designed to safeguard our land borders in the north is progressing steadily..we will establish a forward operating base along the northern perimeter and equip them with state of the art equipment to defend the country,” he said.

Background of the Four vessels:

As part of the government’s effort to provide effective security to the offshore oil and gas infrastructure, approval was granted the Ministry of Defence and the Ghana Navy to enter a lease agreement with Isreal Shipyard Limited for the lease of four aluminium offshore security vessels, with funding from GCB Bank Plc.

Among other purposes, the vessels are to replace previous arrangements of using private vessels manned by naval personnel in providing security and support to oil and gas activities in the country’s maritime domain.

They are fitted with three caterpillar C32 main engines developing 1.450Hp and providing a maximum speed of 28 knots.

The vessels have a range of 2, 800Nm at 25Knots and an endurance of 30 days.

The four security vessels are also fitted with an external fire fighting monitor with remote clutch and control, all-around wheelhouse ballistic protection, 2 x 12.7 mm machine guns mounted forward and aft of each vessel.

Technical specifications of the vessels include a length overall of 40.00m, breadth mould of 7.60m, depth mould of 3.65m, a loaded draft of 1.89m, fuel capacity of 86,000ltrs, freshwater tank capacity of 30, 000ltrs and a gross tonnage of 279 metric tonnes.

They were designed and built by the Penguin Shipyard and conform to industry standards, design and performance.