Lloyd’s Register (LR) has awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) to Vard Marine Inc., a Fincantieri company, for its Vard 7 125 Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), according to the company's release.
The design of the 125-metre vessel is based on the successful Vard Series 7 OPV reference vessels and can be tailored to a broad range of military and naval missions. Enhancements include an upgraded weapons and sensors package, reduced acoustic, magnetic, and infrared signatures, along with minimized radar cross-section, Nuclear/Biological/Chemical defence, and improved damage control and survivability given compliance to military stability standards.
The vessel is offered as either a General Purpose (GP) or Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) variant. The vessel arrangement offers a multi-mission bay and a set-down area for containerized mission payloads, with a configuration that can be tailored to meet a variety of mission objectives.
LR is the first classification society to award AiP to the 125m offshore patrol vessel having completed an appraisal of the design, in accordance with the LR Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Naval Ships. The vessel design carries LR notations ✠ 100A1 NS2 Offshore Patrol Vessel, SA1, ✠ LMC and PSMR.
The application of LR’s Naval Ship Rules and INSA’s Naval Ship Code are industry benchmarks; receiving approval to these standards offers additional assurance that the vessel’s design is fit for purpose and safe.