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PETALING JAYA: Construction of China’s Royal Malaysian Navy (NMR) fourth Littoral Mission Vessel (LMS) has been completed, although the actual handover ceremony will only take place in November.
The NMR said the LMS was safely lowered into the marine waters of Wuhan on December 16, but that the ceremony would have to be postponed to next year due to ongoing travel restrictions due to the pandemic.
This is the latest ship under a RM1.17 billion contract signed between Putrajaya and China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co Ltd (CSOC) in 2017, the country’s first naval vessel contract with China.
It will join the ships Keris, Sundang and the third ship of the 11th LMS Squadron once it completes a series of sea trials.
“Potential sailors from the fourth LMS are expected to be dispatched to China in early April to be trained to operate the ship,” the RMN said in a statement today.
The acquisition was carried out under a contract between the Malaysian Ministry of Defense and Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd with CSOC.
