Damen Naval marked the official start of the construction phase of the Type 126 frigates programme with a steel-cutting ceremony on 5 December. Pictured (from left to right): Damen Shipyards Group's CEO Arnout Damen and Lürssen CEO Friedrich Lürssen. (Damen/Felix Matthies)

Damen Naval held a steel-cutting ceremony for the first Type 126 multi-purpose frigate on order for the German Navy at NVL Group's Peene-Werft shipyard in Wolgast, Germany, on 5 December.

Netherlands-based Damen Shipyards Group was awarded a EUR4.6 billion (USD5 billion) design and construction contract for four Type 126 frigates by Germany's Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) in June 2020. Under the contract, Damen, acting as prime contractor, is delivering the programme in partnership with NVL Group subsidiary Blohm+Voss and Thales (as mission systems integrator).

The Spanish Navy's first S-80 Plus submarine, Isaac Peral, was commissioned into service on 30 November 2023. (Janes/Kate Tringham)

The Spanish Navy's first new S-80 Plus-class diesel-electric submarine (SSK) has been commissioned into service following the completion of sea acceptance trials.

First-of-class Isaac Peral (S-81) was formally commissioned during a ceremony held at the Spanish Navy's naval base in Cartagena on 30 November.

Isaac Peral is the first of four S-80 Plus-class submarines being built by state-owned shipyard Navantia at its facilities in Cartegena for the Spanish Navy under a contract awarded in 2004. Laid down in 2007 and launched in May 2021 following multiple delays, the lead submarine was put to sea for the first time in May 2022. In early 2023 it moved into final sea acceptance testing, completing its first static dive on 30 March 2023 and its maximum operating depth dive test in October.

The new multi-purpose vessel, which will be named D João II , is planned to enter service in the second half of 2026. (Damen)

Damen Shipyards Group has been awarded a contract for the design, construction, and outfitting of a new multi-purpose vessel for the Portuguese Navy.

Announcing the contract award on 24 November, Damen said the 107 m-long vessel had been designed to meet the Portuguese Navy's requirement for a platform that combined oceanic research with unmanned systems deployment capabilities.

The new vessel, which will be named D João II, is planned to enter service in the second half of 2026.

The project follows a European tender process and has received funding from the European Union's (EU's) Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), which is part of NextGenerationEU, the economic recovery package to support EU member states affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. PRR funding for the project is valued at EUR94.5 million (USD103.8 million), with state investment amounting to EUR37.5 million.

The multi-purpose vessel will be used primarily for oceanic research, search-and-rescue, and emergency relief, with a secondary role for naval support and maritime security operations.