| Career (Albania) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Oriku (P133) |
| Namesake: | Oriku |
| Builder: | Damen Group - Pashaliman Naval Base, Vlorë, Albania |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Damen Stan Patrol 4207 |
The Oriku (Orik) is a patrol vessel of the Albanian Navy Brigade, built at the Pashaliman Naval Base in Vlorë, Albania.[1][2] The ship was named for Oriku, an ancient city which once occupied its area.
The shipbuilding project of the Coastal Ships, which will provide the Coast Guard with four vessels of the Damen Stan 4207 patrol vessel design, is one of the most important projects of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Albania.[2] These vessels, for which the construction of the supporting infrastructure is also foreseen, will support the mission of the Coast Guard and Search and Rescue Operations. The project, which is the result of an agreement between the MoD and the Dutch company Damen Shipyards, with a value of around 31 million euros, is financed 65% by the Albanian government, with the 35% balance delivered by the Dutch government[3] under the ORET program.
Albania joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in February 2009.[1] Balkan Insight suggested there was a connection between Albania updating its fleet with this class of vessels and its membership in NATO.
The first ship of the STAN PATROL 4207 project, which bears the name Iliria P-131, was produced in the Netherlands and handed over to the Albanian Coast Guard in August 2008.[2] Production of the project's second ship, which is the first produced in the Pashaliman Shipyard, was begun in May 2009. The ship that bears the name Oriku P-132 will be commissioned in late November 2011. The third ship, Lisus P-133, will be operational in 2012, and the fourth, Butrinti P-134 in 2013, the year that marks the completion of this program.