PIRIOU Delivers the CAYOR & OPV 58 S Program for Senegalese Navy Finalized

[By: PIRIOU]

Today in Concarneau, Piriou Group has delivered the third and last of the OPV 58 S offshore patrol vessels for the Senegalese Armed Forces. The ceremony was held in the presence of His Excellency the Ambassador of Senegal to France El Hadji i Magatte Seye and Admiral Abdou Sene - Chief of Staff of the Senegalese Navy. The Group is thus successfully concluding a construction program that demonstrates the effective collaboration between the Senegalese Navy and the French industrial group and contributes to reinforcing Piriou's position as a key player in military vessels shipbuilding industry.

The contract was signed by the Ministry of the Armed Forces of Senegal and Piriou Group in November 2019. I entered into force on September 30, 2020. The contract covered the acquisition of three 62-meter offshore patrol vessels dedicated to Senegal's Maritime Defense and State Action at Sea. After the WALO, delivered in June 2023 and that reached Dakar in August 2023, and the NIANI, delivered in November 2023 and that reached Dakar in last January, the CAYOR now flies the Senegalese flag and marks the end of a construction program that has mobilized hundreds of employees over four years, representing more than 600,000 working hours.

Vincent Faujour, President of Piriou, first thanked the Senegalese Navy for its confidence. Reminding the audience that the OPV 58S program was the fruit of several years of joint work between Piriou's teams and those of the Senegalese Navy, he said, with some emotion: "We were committed to being worthy of the trust that Senegal had placed in us, committed to building ships with remarkable deterrence and projection capabilities. We have designed and built new-generation patrol vessels that will further strengthen the Senegalese Navy's defence posture and enable the Navy to cover the full range of State actions at sea missions it is responsible."  And, pointing out that human values are at the heart of the maritime world, he honored the memory of the 5 Senegalese commandos who tragically lost their lives on mission: "We also wanted to be worthy of the trust placed in us by the Senegalese nation and its seafarers, who work, sometimes risking their lives, for the security and sovereignty of their country." 

Piriou's President also paid tribute to the commitment of the teams from Piriou and Kership, the industrial contractor for the project, as well as those of all its partners, including Naval Group, who have all worked to ensure that this program runs as efficiently as possible. After a successful experience with the construction of the OPV 87 for Argentina, Piriou reproduced this industrial scheme and divided the production of the hulls for the OPV 58 S between its Concarneau shipyard and that of Lorient, where Kership, a jointly owned subsidiary of Piriou and Naval Group, is based. Working alongside the French Navy and DCI Navfco, Piriou has also contributed to training and coaching seafarers in ship handover and the use of combat systems.  

Éric Langlois, President of Kership said: "The delivery of the CAYOR marks the completion of a major program for the Kership teams in Concarneau and Lanester. I would like to congratulate them, and extend my warmest thanks to the Senegalese Navy, with whom we have enjoyed working on a daily basis over the past few years."

"We are very honoured to have contributed to the success of this project for the Senegalese navy, which once again demonstrates the success and performance of the cooperation between Kership, Piriou and Naval Group", said Olivier de la Bourdonnaye, Naval Group's Executive Vice President, Surface Ships.

The program was successfully completed, and the deadline was respected. The CAYOR will soon join her two sister ships, the WALO and NIANI. These modern, highly armed ships have already proved their capabilities in several operations, including rescue operations, the fight against illicit trafficking and the fight against pollution at sea. "The OPV58S program is a successful part of our commercial relationship, and it is also an industrial success that contributes to reinforcing PIRIOU's position as a key player in military vessels shipbuilding industry" stated Vincent Faujour.

He concludes by reaffirming his commitment: "An important chapter has come to an end, but the story is not over yet: I've spoken about design, construction and training. In this respect, be assured that our teams in Dakar are and will remain fully committed to guaranteeing the highest level of operational availability for the OPVs. "