Second P18N offshore patrol vessel arrives in Nigeria

[Zarvan]

NNS Unity arrived in Lagos on 4 November. Source: Nigerian Navy
The Nigerian Navy's second Chinese-built 95.5 m-long P18N offshore patrol vessel (OPV) NNS Unity (F 92) arrived in Nigeria on 4 November.

Nigerian Navy spokesman Commodore Christian Ezekobe was quoted as saying that Unity "will consolidate on the successes being recorded in the fight against piracy, maritime crime, and other illegalities in our maritime domain up to the Gulf of Guinea."

The initial plan was for the work on Unity to the finished in Nigeria at the naval dockyard in Port Harcourt, which would be upgraded for the purpose with Chinese assistance, but photographs of the vessel show that it was completed in China before its delivery voyage.

When Nigeria received its first P18N NNS Centenary in February 2015, the then naval chief of staff said the second would be delivered later that year, but Unity 's arrival was subsequently delayed.

Satellite imagery showed that it had left the Wuchang Shipbuilding yard in Hubei province where it was built and was moored near Qidong north of Shanghai on 2 August 2015; it was seen at the same location again on 21 July.

A senior Nigerian Navy source told IHS Jane's that the delay was largely due to problems with the propulsion shafting system during initial sea trials off Shanghai.

The Nigerian Navy statement said it left China on 15 September and made port calls in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, South Africa, and Angola on its way to Lagos.

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[Penguin]