Ukrainian government officials and law enforcement officers, French partners discussed this issue today.

Ukrainian government officials and law enforcement officers, French partners discussed this issue today.

It should be reminded that today  the Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Serhii Deineko and the Chief Executive Officer of OCEA Roland Joassard signed the contract for construction of 20 patrol boats of the FPB 98 MKI project for Maritime Guard of the State Border Guard Service.

The head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Serhii Deineko said that the new patrol boats will serve in both the Black and Azov Seas. The Head of the Border Guard Agency also noted that the selection of weapons to be installed at FPB 98 MKI is already underway.

The Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov expressed his gratitude to the Ukrainian Parliament, which legally supported the implementation of the project. The Minister of Internal Affair also thanked for the full support of the President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal, French partners and Ukrainian shipbuilders.

“We expect that next year the first ships of joint production will be launched and we will raise glasses of champagne on this occasion,” said Arsen Avakov. He noted that the project, which provides for cooperation between Ukrainian and French shipbuilders, has allowed the shipbuilders of the two countries to to work together so well that they are already planning new joint projects for third countries.

The Ambassador of the French Republic, Etienne De Poncins, expressed his admiration for the speed with which the project is being implemented and thanked the entire team involved in its preparation.

“Negotiations began 2 years ago and in 2021 we hope the first boats will be delivered to their customers,” said the ambassador. He assured that this project fits into the context of political support for Ukraine by France.

“Our efforts to support Ukraine are primarily aimed at strengthening and ensuring state sovereignty and the rule of law in Ukraine,” said Etienne De Poncins, recalling that the contract signed today is a follow-up to another major contract for the supply of 55 French-made helicopters to the Ministry of Interior. The diplomat expressed hope for a quick meeting on the occasion of the launch of the first boat FPB 98 MKI for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

“This boat is our bestseller,” said Roland Joassard, CEO of OCEA. “We sell them all over the world - in France, in Asia, the the Middle East, Latin America. In fact, this model was chosen by many countries to protect their borders in view of the excellent characteristics it has in terms of cost-effectiveness of operation, use and maintenance,” - added the head of the French state shipbuilding company.

Roland Joassard said that according to the agreements with Kyiv, the project should be implemented jointly with Ukraine. In Mykolaiv the French party found the partner in cooperation with which already plans to implement joint initiatives on the markets of the third countries.

General Director of Nibulon company Hero of Ukraine Oleksii Vadaturskyi stated that the French side has studied many shipbuilding enterprises in Ukraine and has chosen the company headed by him, and this is a great challenge and a great responsibility.

“We are doing everything to make Ukraine a maritime country, not a country by the sea, and it is a great honour for us to enhance protection of our Ukraine and do everything to make us a powerful maritime state,” said Hero of Ukraine Oleksii Vadaturskyi.

On the occasion of signing the contract, there was a video inclusion between the shipbuilding company and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, where the Government had a meeting. The Prime Minister congratulated the SBGS, shipbuilders and French partners on the start of the project. Denys Shmyhal assured that the Government continues to work actively to strengthen the country's security.

“Protection and security of the state border is one of the highest priorities in our activities,” said Denys Shmyhal. - “One of the components of this work is the renewal of equipment for our border guards, in particular, the strengthening of Maritime Security. Any part of Ukrainian border must be reliably protected - whether it is the marine or the land part of Ukrainian land,” Denys Shmyhal added.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine also stressed that the project will not only strengthen maritime security, but also develop the shipbuilding industry of Ukraine.

“The key point is that we did not just take and buy something abroad, but we believe that the strategic order is that five ships should be produced at the facilities of the Ukrainian shipyard.”