With a symbolic steel cutting ceremony held at the Ada shipyard in Istanbul, the construction of the first naval logistics vessel for the Portuguese Navy officially began on Sunday in Turkey . The President of the Turkish Defence Industries Presidency (SSB), Haluk Görgün, highlighted the significance of the project during the ceremony, being the first export of a military naval platform from Turkey to a NATO and EU member state, as highlighted by Turkish media.
“It is a great pleasure to be here today at the Ada shipyard for the steel cutting ceremony of the first auxiliary refuelling and logistics ship; a strategic milestone in our defence industry cooperation with our ally and friend Portugal; a project that will remain as a legacy for the future,” Görgün said.
The SSB president recalled that Turkey and Portugal signed the contract on 17 December 2024 in Lisbon, an agreement that provides for the construction of two logistic support vessels for the Portuguese Navy. “On that day, we not only laid the foundations of a contract, but also of history: the first export of a military naval platform from Türkiye to a NATO and EU member state,” he stressed.
According to Görgün, the ships will have a speed at maximum efficiency of 14 knots and a range of up to 14,000 nautical miles, allowing them to operate on transoceanic missions. They are designed for a wide range of operations, including replenishment at sea, logistical support, regional outreach, amphibious operations, medical assistance, search and rescue, or humanitarian aid. They will also feature advanced communications, command and control, sensors and weapons systems.
“A new era between Portugal and Turkey“
The ships, 137 metres long and with a displacement of 11,000 tonnes, will be able to operate autonomously at sea for up to 90 days and carry up to 20 light armoured vehicles . They will also have a flight deck and hangar for helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). “With these capabilities, they will play an essential role in NATO-led joint operations,” said Görgün, who stressed that the project – in which some 30 Turkish companies are involved – represents a milestone for Turkish naval engineering.
“Today, Turkey is one of the most important countries in the world in terms of the number of military vessels being built at the same time,” Görgün stressed. The first ship is scheduled to be delivered 36 months after the contract comes into force, and the second within 44 months. The director of the Portuguese Navy’s Ship Programme, Rear Admiral Joao Marques da Costa, said that the ceremony in Istanbul symbolises not only the beginning of the construction of a new ship, but also a new stage of “trust and shared vision between Portugal and Turkey“.
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Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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