Damen has delivered the fourth Yarmook-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) to the Pakistan Navy in Constanta, Romania.
The contract for the PNS Yamama’s construction was awarded to the Dutch shipyard in 2020, with the assembly following two years later and launch in 2024.
Once operational, the platform will sail across Islamabad’s international trade routes to undertake maritime security missions, including anti-piracy and other threats.
“The Offshore Patrol Vessels project is an ultimate success not only for Pakistan but for Damen, the Galati Shipyard and all co-makers involved in the conception, design, construction and commissioning of the four OPVs,” Pakistan Navy Vice Admiral Muhammad Faisal Abbasi commented during the ceremony.
“I am confident that the collaboration between the Pakistan Navy and Damen will further extend to new avenues for shared gains.”
Local Shipbuilding Support in Pakistan
Pakistan’s acceptance of the Yamama followed the government’s signing of an agreement with Damen last November.
The memorandum of understanding allows the Dutch company to support a maritime service center in Karachi for the military, with coverage encompassing the navy’s existing Yarmook OPVs.
“The [Pakistan Maritime Science and Technology Park] initiative aligns well with Damen’s way of working,” Damen Regional Sales Director Stephan Stout stated at the signing event.
“Wherever we are operating in the world, we look to cooperate with local governments, industry, and education and research institutes. We believe that, in this way, our shipbuilding projects can provide a boost to domestic industry and local employment, while at the same facilitating the development of a strong local supply chain.”
The Yarmook OPV
Pakistan’s Yarmook-class OPV is based on Damen’s 2600 hull design, measuring 98 meters (322 feet) long. It can carry a helicopter, an unmanned aerial system, and rigid-hull inflatable boats.
The vessel has a 300-cubic-meter (300,000-liter) fuel capacity and is fitted with four Caterpillar diesel engines, a 450-kilowatt bow thruster, and two propellers.
It has a top speed of 22 knots (41 kilometers/25 miles per hour), a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,112 kilometers/6,905 miles), and endurance of up to 40 days.
Armaments of the platform include 30-millimeter and 12.7-millimeter weapon stations, surface-to-surface missile launchers, and a 20-millimeter close-in weapon system.
Compared to the Yamama and the third Yarmook-class OPV, the PNS Hunain, the program’s first two ships (2300 hull design) are about 5 meters (16 feet) shorter and 600 tons lighter.
