Damen Shipyards has commenced the construction of a Multi-Purpose Ship for the Portuguese Navy, marked by a joint steel cutting and keel laying ceremony at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania.
The vessel, designated NRP Dom João II, is scheduled for delivery in 2026, joining two other Damen-built ships, the 122-metre-long NRP Bartolomeu Dias and NRP D. Francisco de Almeida.
The contract for the ship was finalized in November 2023 following a competitive tender process, and the project is funded through the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), part of the NextGenerationEU initiative aimed at supporting EU member states impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of Damen’s Support Ship range, the Multi-Purpose Ship will weigh between 7,000 and 9,000 tons. It is designed to operate across multiple domains, including air, surface, and subsurface operations. The vessel will undertake a variety of missions, such as scientific research involving drones and robotics, as well as providing support in emergency and disaster situations.
The NRP Dom João II is equipped with capabilities for scientific and technological research, search and rescue operations, emergency relief, maritime safety, and environmental and meteorological monitoring.
Recognizing the increasing significance of drones and autonomous technologies in emergency response and surveillance, the Multi-Purpose Ship can transport and deploy Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV), Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV), and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). It features a 94 x 11 metre flight deck designed for UAV operations.
With a length of 107 metres, the vessel provides 650 square meters of deck space, accommodating up to twelve twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) for mission-specific modular systems, including hospitals, hyperbaric chambers, and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipment.
Additionally, the Multi-Purpose Ship will be outfitted with advanced laboratory facilities and accommodation for scientific personnel, enabling enhanced oceanic exploration and research.