TWO NEWLY PURCHASED Irish Naval vessels are set to arrive in Cork Harbour tomorrow following a mammoth voyage from New Zealand on the back of a cargo ship. 

The Lake class boats were sold by the New Zealand Government to the Irish State for €26m – they are currently on board the Dutch registered Happy Dynamic ship in the Atlantic having left Auckland one month ago.

Sources have said that the vessels will be lifted off the deck of the huge ship on Tuesday. 

The two vessels will serve as replacements for LÉ Orla and LÉ Ciara. As part of the regeneration of the Naval Service, those two vessels and LÉ Eithne have been withdrawn from service.

The new vessels have a lesser crewing requirement than the ships they are replacing, and the Department of Defence said they will provide the Naval Service with an improved capacity to operate and undertake patrols in the Irish Sea on the East and South East Coast. This will allow the remaining fleet to focus on operations in the deep blue seas of the Atlantic.

They have fully automated control and navigations system, a powerful engine, modern communications and surveillance systems, active stabilisers and comfortable accommodation. Using two RHIBs (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats) both ships can undertake boarding operations and surveillance.

The ships are highly manoeuvrable and capable of speeds up to 25 knots (46 kilometres per hour). They have a capacity of 20 crew members – less than that of LE Orla and LE Ciara, which have a complement of 44 crew per ship.

How do you ship a ship??

By using a ship shipping ship 🚢

The IPVs are getting ready to start their journey home 🇮🇪⚓#navy #IPV #capdev pic.twitter.com/jYQuyWfGxO

— Irish Naval Service (@naval_service) April 6, 2023

The Orla and the Ciara were former Royal Navy Ships which had operated in Hong Kong. 

The two inshore patrol vessels (IPV), built in Australia, HMNZS Rotoiti and HMNZS Pukakiyet were named after lakes in New Zealand – they will be renamed by the Irish Naval Service.

A team from the Irish Navy have been in Auckland for several months preparing the boats – it is understood that the vessels the most modern sensors and monitoring systems but will be limited to close to shore operations. 

Sources have said that there are indications that at least one of the vessels is likely to be based full time on the East Coast – possibly in Dun Laoghaire.