Portugal orders six modified Viana do Castelo-class OPVs

The new OPVs will complement the navy’s four existing Viana do Castelo-class OPVs, which consist of NRP
Viana do Castelo
, NRP
Figueira da Foz
, NRP
Sines
(pictured above), and NRP
Setúbal. ( Victor Barreira)

An ambitious effort by the Portuguese Navy to deploy six new Viana do Castelo-class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) reached a milestone on 29 December 2023 with the award of a EUR299.7 million (USD329.2 million) contract to the local privately owned shipbuilder West Sea – Estaleiros Navais.

Under the contract, awarded by the Directorate-General of National Defence Resources of the Portugese Ministry of National Defence, the new OPVs are planned to be delivered between 2027 and 2030. They will complement the Portuguese Navy’s four existing Viana do Castelo-class OPVs that entered service between 2011 and 2018.

The