By Philip Nwosu
A newly built warship, belonging to the Nigerian Navy, has set sail on her maiden voyage from Albwardy Damen Shipyard, Sharjah, United Arab Emirate (UAE) for Lagos.
The vessel, a Landing Ship Tank, (LST), according to the navy, left the UAE shipyard at about 9am Nigerian time today following its official hand-over to the Navy was on March 30, 2022.
A statement from the force’s spokesman, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, said the vessel christened NNS KADA is expected to go on a 56 days voyage covering a distance of 8,414.34 nautical miles on her maiden voyage.
Ayo-Vaughan said the ship would make stopovers in five countries/ports before arriving Lagos. These ports are Port Duqm in Oman, Port Mombasa in Kenya, Port Cape Town in South Africa, Port Luanda in Angola and Port Gentil in Gabon.
The navy had contracted Messrs Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding for the construction and supply of NNS KADA in May 2018 as part of the recapitalization efforts under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.
This milestone venture progressed steadily with the keel laying ceremony of the ship conducted on 9 December 2019 at the Albwardy Damen Shipyard, Sharjah, UAE. Subsequently, the construction was completed and the new warship was launched on 7 June 2021. Meanwhile, the official hand-over to the Nigerian Navy was on 30 March 2022.
The historic voyage of the new warship will be preceded by customary change of flags ceremony at the Albwardy Damen Shipyard, Sharjah, UAE. The ceremony would be witnessed by some dignitaries such as the Chairmen Senate and House Committees on Navy, the Minister of Defence, Chief of the Naval Staff, Director Navy (MOD) and the Nigerian Ambassadors to UAE as well as Saudi Arabia.