Third 'Samuel Beckett' OPV90 class LÉ William Butler Yeats Floated-Out

17th March 2016

Float out of the P63 LE William Butler Yeats. See video below. Credit: Naval Service

#ThirdOPV90 - According to NavalTechnology.com, the Naval Service has reportedly floated out the third and final OPV90 / Samuel Beckett-class newbuild LÉ William Butler Yeats (P63).

A total of two Samuel Beckett-class OPVs were ordered by Ireland's Department of Defence under a £81m contract from Babcock Marine in October 2010, with the option of a third vessel.

In June 2014, the department exercised the option under the original contract to place an order for the third OPV, which was scheduled for delivery in the middle of this year.

Float out of L.É. William Butler Yeats time lapse video
Float out of L.É. William Butler Yeats time lapse video
Posted by Irish Naval Service on Friday, 11 March 2016

Designed by Vard Marine, the OPVs replace three earlier vessels, the 'Deirdre' Class LE Emer, LE Aoife and LE Aisling, which were commissioned with the Irish Naval Service between 1978 and 1984. To read more click here.

Afloat adds the second 'Beckett' class OPV90 LE James Joyce (P62) was last year commissioned into service and named in a joint ceremony held in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Published in Navy

Tagged under

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

Email The Author

Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven't put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full-time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.