Algeria preparing to receive hydrographic survey vessel from France’s Ocea

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The Algerian Navy will soon take delivery of an OSV 95 offshore support vessel from France’s Ocea.

The vessel, El Masseh, was seen around Brest, France, from 18 March for sea trials ahead of delivery. It left Ocea’s Les Sables-d’Olonne (Vendée) shipyard on Sunday 14 March.

Trials are being undertaken by French company Edmar, which provides crew, conveying and ship testing services (it specialises n commissioning new vessels).

According to Ocea, the OSV 95 class is 29 metres long and has a crew of six plus nine passengers/specialists. Range is 1 500 nautical miles at 12 knots.

The vessel has been designed for oceanographic and geological survey and has 25 square metres of laboratory space on board as well as an 85 square metre aft deck. The vessel is constructed from aluminium.

Founded in 1987 in Les Sables d’Olonne, the Ocea group specialises in aluminium design and shipbuilding. With a projected turnover of 140 million Euros in 2020, Ocea employs more than 400 staff at four production sites: Les Sables d’Olonne, Saint-Nazaire, La Rochelle, and Fontenay-le-Comte. Ocea has delivered over 300 vessels since its inception. This includes yachts, passenger vessels, workboats and military vessels.