Why should I attend Offshore Patrol Vessels 2008?

Download the Brochure

Site Tour

Site Visit To Fincantieri’s Muggiano Shipyard: 2nd October, 2008

Image Gallery

See the gallery of images from OPV 2007!

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The combination of networking, information and lecture is perfect.

Lintner Gerhard, MPC-Marine

Good combination of views from various sources

Captain Pongsakorn Kuvanont, Royal Thai Navy

They were all excellent!! It has been very valuable to me and my organisation in terms of managing and using or operating OPV's.

Ambabi Steven, Ministry of Fisheries & Marine Resources, Namibia

Strict naval budget control has forced the principal trend for naval power towards increasing hull numbers through smaller ships. Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), Corvettes and Fast Attack Craft numbers have greatly increased in the last decade. OPVs are now central to maritime security plans for the future and are set to be a principle part of maintaining EEZ patrol and preserving national security.

Many of these ships are now in service or under construction across the globe from established naval powers to emerging maritime forces. For the many different organisations using OPVs the technology available now means that the potential capability is greater than ever anticipated for small ships.

Meanwhile global naval budgets are under more pressure and scrutiny than they have been in the past. However questions remain over the level of capability required and how desirable it is to turn these vessels into fully fledged warships.

OPVs Content Library

Visit the OPVs Content Library

BRAND NEW ADDITIONS

Get a previews of:

THE PROCUREMENT OF A NEW CLASS OF OPV FOR THE BRAZILIAN NAVY (BN)

Presented by: Rear Admiral FRANCISCO DEIANA

THE CHILEAN NAVY OPVs

Presented by: Vice Admiral Cristian Gantes Young, Logistics General Director, Chilean Navy

CURRENT CHARACTERISTICS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF OPV

Presented by: Marco Cerruti & Achille Fulfaro, Fincantieri, Naval Vessel Business Unit

Presentations to be given in full 30th September - 1st October. Download the conference brochure.

OPVs appear to be the future of naval power. However, fundamental issues need to be addressed:

Will focusing on OPVs compromise the high-end capabilities of blue-water fleets?
Do OPVs have any useful role to play in actual combat conditions?
What is the optimum balance between capability and cost for an OPV?
Does the difference in the roles of military and coast guard OPVs necessitate different capabilities?
Is it really necessary to upgrade OPVs to such an extent to carry out their roles?
What is the best combination of deployable assets for OPVs?
Can OPVs sufficiently fulfil the role of C2 hub?

Exclusive briefings from:

Vice Admiral Franco Paoli, Commander-in-Chief Tyrrhenian Sea Department, Italian Navy
Vice Admiral Cristián Gantes Young, General Director of Logistics, Chilean Navy
Rear Admiral Ferdinando Lolli, Head Ligurian District, Genoa Harbour Master, Italian Coast Guard
Rear Admiral Francesco Lo Sardo, Head 4th Department (Naval and Air Assets), Italian Coast Guard
Rino Pivirotto, Executive Director, Navy International Programmes Office, US Navy
Commander Renato Micheletti, Staff Officer Air Combat, JAPCC, NATO
Chris Broadbent, DEC (AWE) Platforms & Enablers Capability Advisor, DSTL, UK MoD
Robert Zuiddam, Project Manager OPV, Netherlands MoD
Captain E. Murat Akdeniz, Naval Platform Construction Department Head, Turkish Naval Headquarters

See the conference agenda

All New For OPV 2008

As the growth in the global demand for new OPVs and Corvettes continues, more options are now becoming available. The depth and breadth of technology continues to expand with new innovations allowing for an increasingly capable vessel to be designed. The new Technical Workshops Day is designed to examine some of the available option.

Individual workshop topics to be covered include:

Making the OPV the C2 operational hub
Surface navigation and positioning technology
Complete integration of all electronic systems, and using cost-effective COTS equipment
Command and weapon control systems for OPVs
Ship self-protection against threats from missiles and torpedoes

Don't miss Offshore Patrol Vessels 2008 because...

Following in tradition, we are delighted to announce that OPV 2008 will also feature an exclusive visit to a shipyard. The day after the main conference you will have the opportunity to visit Fincantieri's shipyard at La Spezia. With a mixture of tour and lectures this is the perfect chance to continue networking with fellow delegate and add to the technical knowledge gained at the conference.

Following the move to Italy the annual Offshore Patrol Vessels Gala Dinner will take place at Genoa's world famous aquarium. An evening of drinks and a tour of the second largest aquarium in Europe will end in a gala dinner and exquisite food.

2007 was the largest Offshore Patrol Vessel conference ever held. Featuring military and industry representatives from 26 nations, the conference room reached capacity and the exhibition room was crowded throughout the symposium. OPV 2007 featured presentations from the US, UK, Poland, Canada, Iceland and the Netherlands. In addition to the main conference a major highlight was the site visit to Royal Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and the gala dinner and river cruise of Rotterdam harbour.