Naval Vessels Luerssen (NVL) hands over the first naval unit to the Bulgarian Navy

The MMPV project with two state-of-the-art corvettes is currently the largest new construction project of the Bulgarian Navy. Both ships are being built at MTG Dolphin in Varna under the management of NVL and with the participation of numerous international and Bulgarian suppliers.

"We are very proud to hand over this complex and state-of-the-art vessel to the Bulgarian Navy on schedule. Together with our customer, the shipyard partner MTG Dolphin and our national and international partners, we have handed over an extremely high-performance and highly effective unit to the Navy," said Tim Wagner, CEO of NVL. "We are very pleased to make an essential contribution to the maritime safety of our customer with this milestone."

The approximately 90 metre-long ships are based on a proven design from the NVL portfolio and have an integrated battle management system. The units, which displace more than 2,300 tonnes, are predestined for operations as part of international NATO and EU alliance missions and enable the Bulgarian Navy to counter threats from the air and land as well as threats above and below the surface.

water. The project is being managed by NVL in collaboration with NVL subsidiary Naval Technology Bulgaria (NTB) and has had numerous positive effects on local value creation and employment since the start of the project thanks to the integration of local suppliers, for example for the interior fittings and the air conditioning and ventilation systems. The second corvette is in an extended production stage and is also on schedule.

Bulgaria has been a member of NATO since 2004 and actively participates in international military missions. In 2006, Bulgaria was involved with the frigate "Draski" in the Maritime Task Force (MTF) 448 of the United Nations Interim Force to secure the Lebanese coast and again in 2011 as part of the international military mission in Libya to secure the sea routes. The navy is the smallest branch of the armed forces with around 4,100 men. The headquarters and naval academy are located in Varna, while the most important naval base is Atia near Burgas, which is also used by NATO.

Text: NVL / hsc