PUTRAJAYA, Sept 13 — Three offshore patrol vessels (OPV) that should have been handed over to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in 2020 are still under construction, according to the agency today.

Its director-general Maritime Admiral Datuk Mohd Zubil Mat Som said the OPV were being built by a local company, THHE Destini Sdn Bhd, in Pulau Indah, Selangor.

"The Covid-19 pandemic in the country had contributed to the delay in the delivery of the vessels to the MMEA,” he said in a statement today.

He said the launch of OPV 1, which was scheduled today (Sept 13), could not be carried out because the vessel could not be brought to the location yet.

As such, he said, the launching date of OPV1 had been changed by THHE Destini Sdn Bhd to Oct 10 using the "Air Balloon” system, instead of having a cradle launch.

"If everything goes smoothly and the launch can be done on that date, there is a big chance that OPV 1 will be handed over to the MMEA in early 2023,” he said.

As for OPV 2 and OPV 3, he said, they would be handed over in stages.

"The three OPVs are much needed by the MMEA for it to enforce the laws in the country’s waters,” he added. — Bernama