Navantia, ECOVIX – ENGEVIX to jointly repair Venezuelan Navy’s patrol vessel

Navantia has signed a deal with the Brazilian firm ECOVIX – ENGEVIX to offer technical consulting and advisory services for the refurbishment of Venezuelan Navy’s POVZEE PC-22 ‘Warao’ offshore patrol vessel (OPV).

The service offered under the deal will involve assembly and commissioning of the propulsion, automation and power generation systems of the Navantia-built OPV, which was delivered to the navy in 2011.

Navantia will be responsible for provision of propulsion, power generation and automated control systems for the vessel’s hull, with the majority of them to be built in Cartagena by the Fábrica de Motores y en Sistemas (Engines and Systems Factory).

Work under the deal will be carried out at the Brazilian Navy Arsenal at Rio de Janeiro, where the Spanish firm is already executing work on the revamp of the Brazilian corvette Julio de Noronha.

The POVZEE vessels are specially designed to carry out surveillance operations in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Venezuela, which include controlling and monitoring the restricted economic zone, safeguard the maritime traffic, while supporting other units.

Powered by combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) propulsion system comprising four 4,440kW MTU 12V-1163-TB93 diesel engines, POVZEE boats are capable of cruising at a maximum speed of 25k, while offering a 3,500nm range.

The 98.9m long, 2,200t vessel, which is capable of operating in Open Ocean and littoral environments, can also be deployed in search and rescue operations, marine pollution control operations, drug trafficking, prohibited immigration and anti-smuggling missions, in addition to surveillance and collection of operational and environmental data and surface defence.

Image: Venezuelan Navy’s PC-22 ‘Warao’ OPV are capable of operating in open ocean and littoral environments. Photo: Courtesy of Navantia.