The Nigerian Navy (NN) has today launched a new Landing Ship Tank (LST) at Damen Shipyard, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
The construction of the ship began about 2 years ago and when commissioned, will replace the first set of LSTs of the NN, NNS AMBE and NNS OFIOM which have been decommissioned.
The introduction of the LST to the NN inventory will bolster NN sealift capability. Specifically, it would enhance the transportation of troops, military hardware, and vehicles in the conduct of maritime security operations launched from sea as well as supply of relief material during period of national emergency.
Furthermore, the vessel will serve as a critical component of naval power projection for enhanced maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and beyond. In its secondary role, the LST will play a critical role in the protection of maritime assets and preservation of law and order at sea, thus contributing significantly to promotion of global maritime commerce, peace and safety.
The new LST has a complement of 32 crew and 250 embarked persons and a length of 100.08m. She is powered by 2 Caterpillar/Cat 3516 C-rating engines and 4 Caterpillar C-18 generators. Furthermore, she has an endurance of 15 days @ 15 knots. If she is to be used for humanitarian missions/evacuation, she can accommodate over 450 persons on its upper and lower decks in short trips.
