Fincantieri To Upgrade Malta's P61 Offshore Patrol Vessel

Fincantieri shipbuilding groups has won a contract from the Armed Forces of Malta for the upgrading of P61, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, built by Fincantieri over 10 years ago.

The contract was signed by Brigadier Jeffrey Curmi, Commander of the Armed Forces of Malta, and Gian Battista Corbetta, Head of Maintenance, Refitting Overhaul & Conversion of Fincantieri’s Naval Services Business Unit.

The upgrading activities, which provide for the overall of many of the ship board systems are aimed at improving the reaction capability of the unit, the company announced last week.

The works, which are estimated at 7 million Euro, are scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2017 in Italy, in the Fincantieri shipyard of Muggiano (La Spezia), and will last about 6 months.

Offshore Patrol Vessel P61 is over 53 meters long and was built and delivered by Fincantieri’s shipyard of Muggiano to the Armed Forces of Malta in 2005.

It is a modified variant of the “Diciotti” Class Patrol Boat, built by Fincantieri for the Italian Coast Guard . At the end of the refit , the vessel will be given a new lease of life with a significant extension to its operating life.