#NewestShip - The Appledore shipyard in the UK has completed its third Irish Naval Service patrol vessel as it prepares to start work on the next one.

According to the North Devon Gazette, the offshore patrol vessel (OPV) LE William Butler Yeats (P63) built at Babock Marine & Technology has been successfully handed over to the Irish Naval Service.

It had been on sea trials for several weeks and was spotted off the North Devon coast by many.

A spokesman for shipyard operators Babcock said: “LE William Butler Yeats has now successfully completed sea trials and has been handed over to the Irish Naval Service.

“Preparation work for our recent contract extension to build a fourth OPV is also well underway with production due to start in August.”

For more photos taken by Norman Hardaker of the third of this OPV90 'Beckett' class batch, click here.