France’s Merre Shipyard recently launched a new dive support boat slated for the French Navy.
Petunia belongs to the eight-strong Ophrys-class, which will replace nine older dive support boats in French Navy service. The Ophrys-class boats will be used to support dive operations, primarily dive missions that are focused on the detection and disposal of sea mines.
Upon completion, Petunia will have a length of 26.5 metres, a beam of seven metres, a draught of 1.7 metres, and a displacement of 105 tonnes at full load. Accommodation will be available for a standard crew of six plus up to 30 divers.
