Mozambique anti-piracy patrol boat gets an upgrade

Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has been contracted by Mozambique to upgrade a patrol boat given to the country by the Spanish government, reports United Press International. The vessel, previously operated by the Spanish navy, will be renamed the Pebane and used in anti-piracy operations. Work on the patrol boat began last week. Navantia will perform the upgrade with Ingeniería de Sistemas para la Defensa de España (Isdefe), a company belonging to the Spanish Ministry of Defense. Isdefe will also be responsible for managing the training of the Mozambican crew, which will be conducted on Spanish navy ships. The contract involves over 50 000 hours of work for Navantia and associated companies, and the ship is due to be delivered to the Mozambican authorities within five months.