The National Air and Naval Service of Panama (Servicio Nacional Aeronaval – SENAN) has taken delivery of four Interceptor 1102 vessels from Damen Shipyards Group.
SENAN will mobilise the four new vessels from its Fort Sherman Naval Base located at the Caribbean end of the Panama Canal.
The vessels’ primary function will be to combat illegal drug-trafficking activities in the surrounding area.
Damen Interceptor 1102 is constructed from fibre reinforced polymer composite materials combined with twin Volvo D6 engines.
The single chine hull reduces the amount of impact in heavier seas and improves high speed manoeuvrability.
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Damen has carried out R&D to optimise the interceptor for the six persons on board – two crew plus four additional naval or security personnel.
These specifications make the 11-metre long Interceptor suitable other maritime security operations like anti-smuggling, anti-terrorist, rapid response, surveillance and special forces operations.
Construction of all the Interceptor 1102 vessels is handled by Damen Shipyards Antalya in Turkey.
Coinciding with the vessel handover, SENAN also signed a second contract with Damen for an additional four Interceptors.
Pieter Becker, Damen Sales Manager Americas, said: “This is an ultra-fast vessel. It can reach speeds of more than 55 knots.”
“We handed the first four vessels over to SENAN just 12 weeks after the contract became effective.”
Damen was recently in the news for its award-winning, mobile, ballast water treatment system receiving IMO type approval.
