Angola Received First French Landing Ship

Angola’s first French-made landing ship RA 4 de Abril arrived at port Luanda on July 19 aboard the Dutch-registered bulk carrier MV Yacht Express.

This was reported by Janes. The ship completed an almost month-long journey from the French city of Cherbourg.

It was built by the French shipbuilding group CMN (Constructions Mecaniques de Normandie) Group under the LCT 200-70 project.

The ship will probably be introduced into the Angolan fleet in 2024.

The construction of the first of the two CMN LCT 200-70 medium amphibious ships ordered by Angola from the CMN group began at CMN's main plant in Cherbourg in January 2022.

It was launched on February 26, 2023, and factory sea trials began in May 2023.

On June 22, the ship was sent from France aboard the Yacht Express to Angola.

A second ship is also under construction in Cherbourg, launched in March 2023 and due to be delivered to Angola in 2024.

The ships are built according to the original new LCT 200-70 project developed by CMN. They have a steel hull and superstructure and an aluminum mast, and are equipped with aft and bow landing ramps.

The length of the ship is 70 m, the width is 10.6 m. The ships are capable of transporting up to 200 tons of cargo, or up to 260 landing personnel, or three main tanks, or eight heavy or 30 light vehicles. It is also possible to transport 12 standard 20-foot containers. Two-shaft diesel power plant, speed up to 16 knots at full load, range up to 2,200 miles, crew of 18.

As it is reported that amphibious ships are being built as part of a large contract signed in September 2016 by Privinvest Holding, the controlling group of CMN Group, for the construction of 20 different ships and boats. It is known that this contract was concluded with Angola for the total amount of €495 million euros.