Brazil floats out new patrol ship and eyes additional vessels

Macaé-class coastal patrol vessel NPa Mangaratiba, shown here, was recently floated out. (Victor Barreira)

The Brazilian Navy's Patrol Ships Obtention Programme (PRONAPA) recently floated out the fourth Macaé-class coastal patrol vessel NPa Mangaratiba (P 73), navy officials told Janes .

NPa Mangaratiba was floated out between 30 April and 1 May after being launched on 27 April at the state-owned shipyard Arsenal de Marinha do Rio de Janeiro (AMRJ).

The Macaé-class is based on the Vigilante 400 CL54 ship design of France's shipbuilder CMN NAVAL.

Mangaratiba is scheduled to be commissioned in October for the 4th Naval District Command located in Belém, State of Pará, the General Directorate of Navy Materiel told Janes .

The vessel will be deployed for patrol, search-and-rescue missions, and protecting strategic infrastructure such as oil and gas platforms.

Mangaratiba is slated to join the other Macaé-class three ships, NPa Macaé (P70), NPa Macau (P71), and NPa Maracanã (P72). The PRONAPA includes the construction of two additional Macaé-class vessels: NPa Miramar (P74) and NPa Magé (P75).

The Macaé-class displaces approximately 500 tonnes, has a length of 54.2 m, a beam of 8 m, maximum range of 2,500 n miles, endurance of 10 days, top speed of 21 kt, and a crew of 51, according the General Directorate of Navy Materiel.

The PRONAPA effort is funded by the New Growth Acceleration Program of the Federal Government.