STM Holds Keel Laying Ceremony for Portugal’s Second Logistics Support Ship

Turkish shipbuilder STM held a keel-laying ceremony in Istanbul for NRP Fernando Pessoa, the second of two logistics support ships ordered by the Portuguese Navy. The vessel is being constructed under a December 2024 agreement, alongside sister ship NRP Luís de Camões, to provide underway replenishment, transport and support for deployed naval forces. The design is approximately 137 meters long and displaces more than 11,000 tonnes, with accommodation for logistics cargo, medical support and other modular mission facilities. Both ships are scheduled for launch in 2027 and delivery in 2028, making the ceremony a construction milestone rather than fleet entry into service.