First MMEA OPV To Be Delivered This July

OPV1 - PCU Tun Fatimah - after her launch on October 10, 2022. APMM

SHAH ALAM: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director general Admiral (Maritime) Zubil Mat Som said today that the first OPV built by THHE Bhd is expected to be delivered this July. He said the ship was supposed to be delivered this month, but it has now been postponed by three months.

Zubil, who is retiring on March 19 after 42 years of service in both the RMN and MMEA, was speaking at his retirement parade in Putrajaya today.

MMEA DG Admiral (Maritime) Zubil Mat Som speaking at the his farewell parade at Putrajaya on March 16 2023. MMEA

MMEA’s Logistics Chief Rear Admiral Saiful Lizan Ibrahim has been named as the acting DG. Saiful was the first commander of KM Arau, the OPV donated by the Japan goverment.
Retiring MMEA chief Admiral Zubil Mat Som (centre) speaking to media after the farewell parade, On his left is the acting DG Rear Admiral Saiful Lizan and deputy DG (operations) Rear Admiral Hamid Mohd Amin (right) . MMEA

Malaysian Defence had previously reported that there was a possibility that OPV1 will be delivered by this May, just in time for LIMA 2023. However, the statement by the MMEA DG had shown this might not happened.

Apart from this, Zubil also stated that delivery date of OPV2 – scheduled by year end – might also not be met and it might be delivered next year with the third vessel. He said the OPVs was supposed to be anb important addition to the MMEA fleet as they will be capable of patrolling the Malaysian Exclusive Economic Zone due to their size and length. The Damen 1800 tonne vessel is 83 meters long is capable of patrolling for 28 days without the need for refueling.

Perhaps, MMEA or the Home Ministry could ask the Singapore government to donate the five Fearless-class patrol vessel which it had decommissioned since 2017. Singapore has gifted two of the PV to the Royal Brunei Navy and using is four as maritime security vessels leaving five in its stock. These ex-RSN could be used for patrol in Eastern Sabah. The ships in service with the RSN from 1998 to 2020 are much younger than some of the ships in the MMEA fleet.

— Malaysian Defence

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12 Comments

  1. “ask the Singapore government to donate”
    If it were BN Government or specifically Mahathir’s Govt rule, such thoughts would be unthinkable.

  2. Aduh. Semua pun tak siap mengikut jadual. Apa nak jadi lah ya dengan kita punya shipyard.

    Woe be us.

  3. @Norman
    Nothing to do with our shipyards. Do you think squeezing 3 boats into a budget meant for 2, or 6 LCS into a budget that was sufficient only for 5 units will work out successfully? This is not like going to pasar and buy 3 free 1 deal.

  4. This is what called “Janji Melayu”. Kata otw, padahal masih lagi atas katil. This stereotype really impact our industry as whole looks like. Delay after delay after delay. Name me a few Malaysian company that most if not always delivered stuff on time. I bet its difficult to name them.

  5. I was made to understand this was because the 30mm gun from Aselsan could not be delivered on time due to expiry of the export permit from the Turkish MOD. As the permit was made under Destini Shipbuilding, a new permit was needed under TH to enable the gun to be exported.

  6. Api69,

    So basically we could see this ship in LIMA 23, but still owned by THHE and not MMEA?

    Looks like the ship is 99% ready, but cannot be officially handed over to MMEA due to the 30mm RWS still not fitted.

  7. One has to know what is timeline/sequence of shipbuilding.. after complete hull and outfitting.. then bottom survey.. launching.. HAT.. SAT..Firing Test if armed and etc.. this sequence is could not be done fast. Only that some higher management either yards or end user, sometime tends to said it could be completed and delivered earlier.. where the reality is not..

  8. Akmal – “Kata otw, padahal masih lagi atas katil”.

    Well who laid the policy which has led us to where we are? Unqualified companies being selected; defence pest of the patronage system: no corrective mechanisms in place, etc.

    Akmal – “I bet its difficult to name them”

    No it’s not; if one knows.

    Wong – “So basically we could see this ship in LIMA 23, but still owned by THHE and not MMEA?”

    Owned by the end user but still the responsibility of the yard which has not officially handed it over to the end user.

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