Dutch defense contractor Damen Shipyards Group has held a steel cutting and keel laying ceremony for the Portuguese Navy’s future Multi-Purpose Support Ship (MPSS) in Galați, Romania.
The event spearheads the construction of the vessel, which is specifically configured to undertake oceanic research, unmanned robotic system deployments, and disaster response tasks.
It will incorporate laboratories and accommodation for scientific personnel, a flight deck and hangar for helicopters, and additional spaces for aerial, surface, and underwater drones.
“The cutting of steel and keel laying at Damen Shipyards Galati represent major steps forward in the construction of this Multi-Purpose Ship that will enable the Portuguese Navy to undertake the most demanding missions and at the same time the ability to perform research activities in the deepest areas of the ocean,” Damen Chief Commercial Officer Jan-Wim Dekker remarked.
“It also underlines Damen’s firm relationship with the Portuguese Navy and shows a further example of European defence industry cooperation.”
‘Revolutionary Concept’
Lisbon agreed in November 2023 to co-develop the 107-meter (351-foot) MPSS with Damen to address the Portuguese Navy’s evolving requirements.
In February 2024, the consortium unveiled the selected design for the vessel and its variants that will be offered to future customers.
Damen noted that the platform will be able to carry more than 40 passengers, sail at speeds over 15 knots (28 kilometers/17 miles per hour), and have endurance capabilities for a 45-day operation at sea.
“This is a ship with a revolutionary concept that was conceived by the Portuguese Navy,” Portuguese Chief of Naval Staff Admr. Gouveia e Melo stated.
“It represents a significant advantage in construction, operation, and maintenance costs, with an open modular architecture that allows for quick adaptation according to the missions and tasks assigned to it.”
Portuguese MPSS by 2026
Portugal’s MPSS, NRP D. João II, will join two in-service ships also built by Damen that were transferred from the Royal Netherlands Navy fleet as part of the Dutch government’s cooperative modernization effort with the southern European country.
The entirety of the Portuguese Navy’s MPSS program is funded by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, an economic recovery package dedicated to member states affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lisbon expects the NRP D. João II’s arrival by 2026.
“The vast maritime area under Portuguese jurisdiction represents a big part of the Exclusive Economic Zones of all European Union Member States,” Portuguese Defence Minister Nuno Melo said during the NRP D. João II’s construction launch.
“Safeguarding this domain is essential, particularly as we face growing strategic competition in the North Atlantic.”
“It is imperative that we strengthen our capabilities to address these threats and secure the resources of our seabed, which are of critical strategic value.”