This is just the first of five boats that will be built for the Croatian Coast Guard.
Brodosplit is finishing up with the construction of a new 43-metre-long ship made for the Croatian Coast Guar, reports Jutarnji.hr on August 31, 2017.
The new coastal patrol boat, which is part of an HRK 385 million worth of project to build five ships for the purposes of the Croatian Coast Guard, should have a trial ride in 20 days. The contract for the construction of new and more modern coastal patrol boats was signed back in December 2014. Brodosplit won this public international tender, and when they finish with all the construction work, the Croatian Coast Guard should be among the most modern coastal guards in the world.
“This means Brodosplit will get new references and return to constructing military ships,” says the representative of the shipyard in Split.
The new ship is mostly a Croatian product. The project and technical documentation were done by Marine and Energy Solutions, which, like Brodosplit, is part of the DIV Group, while the construction of the ship’ equipment – from needle to electronics – was done by more than 40 Croatian companies. “This is the right way to do business, that shows how the entire Croatian industry can participate in the construction of a military ship,” says Mislav Brlić, Director of Marine and Energy Solution.
Brodosplit hopes that the first sailing of the new ship will be a sign to other countries that the Split Shipyard can build quality naval vessels. According to unofficial information, Brodosplit might build a similar ship for the coastal guard of the youngest members of NATO – Montenegro.
“There is certainly an interest in constructing military vessels at our shipyard. We have been on several fairs, where many countries have expressed interest for us to build military ships” they say in Brodosplit and add that they can also build submarines and other vessels for the defence sector.
The construction of military ships is not a novelty neither for Brodosplit nor for Croatia.The construction of military vessels in Brodosplit began in the 1960s, which included submarines, ship stations and mine layers as well as boats for training cadets and smaller military ships. Orders did not only come from the former Yugoslavia and, later, Croatia, but also from other countries. including the former USSR and Iran. Brodosplit is hoping to renew at least part of its old glory, emphasizing that they can build vessels for the needs of Croatian armed forces as well as other countries. “We have all the necessary capacities, knowledge and experience when it comes to constructing military ships.”
Brodosplit is a great example which shows how Croatian shipyards can find new business opportunities. Until recently, at the time of Croatia’s accession negotiations with the EU, shipyards were the weakest points of Croatian membership and few believed that they will survive. But today, several years later, Croatian shipyards show that not only have they survived but they also found new jobs, some of which in cooperation with the defence sector. By doing business with the military, bot Croatian and foreign, the shipyards are securing payments and getting good references for future contracts.
Translated from Jutarnji.hr
