Baltic Workboats AS (BWB), a company based in Saremaa, will build 14 patrol vessels over four years. The construction is based on one of its basic models, an integral part of which is the patented bow-penetrating bow.

"This is a very important achievement for us, since entering the Middle East market has long been our priority and we have been working on the contract for almost four years," said Margus Vanaselja, board chair at BWB said, according to the newpaper, noting that similar patrol vessels, which have a patented wave-penetrating bow, are in use by the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) in Estonia.

The contract is worth a reported €50 million, with a five-year full service contract which will also see the construction of a maintenance and training facility in the Sultanate, reflecting a trend for major customers to purchase after-sales care, according to Vanaselja.

BWB engineers have been able to use the Tallinn University of Technology center of excellence in Kuressaare, Saaremaa's capital, for testing prototypes for performance, sustainability and environmental friendliness, Maaleht reports.

The original Maaleht article (in Estonian) is here.

Download the ERR News app for Android and iOS now and never miss an update!