Nigerian Navy’s newest offshore survey vessel, NNS LANA, yesterday afternoon, arrived Nigeria. The ship was received at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral A.Z. Gambo. The navy recently took delivery of NNS LANA in Saint Nazaire, France.
Being the Navy’s first-ever purpose-built Offshore Survey Vessel, the new vessel was conceived as a replacement to the previous NNS LANA, a survey ship that was decommissioned about 10 years ago.
The construction of Offshore Survey Vessel 190 MKII (NNS LANA) commenced in December 2019 and the building process was successfully completed and the ship was launched on 24 September 2020 at Les Sables d’Olonne, France.
NNS LANA (A499) is designed and purposely built to enable the navy conduct hydrographic and oceanographic surveys. It is also capable of conducting geophysical studies, search and rescue operations as well as patrol duties. The ship is equipped with state-of-the-art survey equipment and a well-equipped 7.6m surface vehicle for shallow water surveys.
Furthermore, the ship has an Automatic Weather Station (AWS), wet and dry laboratories, scientific and technical workshops and operating and processing rooms for survey data.
The machineries include 2xMTU engines, 3xCAT main generators/one emergency generator, electric propulsion system and other auxiliaries. The electric propulsion, which is operated at survey speed, is particularly installed to minimise distortion of data due to machinery noise. The ship has a maximum speed of 14 knots and a capacity of 50 crew.
NNS LANA was handed over to the Nigerian Navy in France on January 15, 2021 after the provisional acceptance trials was concluded. The crew training commenced in January 2021 and ended on April 12, 2021. The change of flag ceremony marks her readiness to embark on her maiden homebound voyage to Nigeria.
Speaking at the reception held for the ship yesterday, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa, said reliable hydrographic data and information from the Nigerian Navy (NN) would further guide maritime activities.
He said that the hydrographic ship, NNS LANA, would help provide the data and information needed to help make the sea a better and safe place for maritime operations.
“NNS LANA’s has the capacity to conduct hydrographic survey that would assure safety of naval and merchant traffic over the sea.
“With NNS LANA joining the fleet, the maritime industry can be assured of getting improved and reliable hydrographic data and information from the navy to guide maritime activities,” he said.
Commanding Officer (CO), NNS LANA, Captain Abdullateef Mahmud, said the ship spent 30 days at sea from France to Lagos, Nigeria.
“Based on the average speed of 10 knots, the ship covered a total distance of 4,005 nautical miles and approximately spent 30 days on the voyage.
“The ship stopped over at four countries, which were Portugal, Spain, Gambia and Ghana. The ship performed satisfactorily well during the voyage, except for one oil operation unit that developed a problem, which was rectified in Portugal,” Mahmud said.