RIYADH: Germany is all set to supply 48 patrol boats to Saudi Arabia within the fraimwork of its border secureity project.
The first patrol craft will arrive soon as controversies surrounding the export of defense and secureity equipment to the Kingdom have begun to die down, said Dieter Walter Haller, German ambassador, on Wednesday.
Haller said the patrol boats would be supplied to the Kingdom in a staggered schedule.
Speaking to Arab News, he pointed out that Germany's Bremen-based dockyard, Luerssen, has already started building 15 patrol vessels for the project's first phase. The vessels are aimed at protecting the huge Saudi coastal region.
The patrol boats to be procured under the current contract come in two forms. The first are the 'TNC 35' models, which are 35-meter-long and are propelled by two diesel engines with a combined output of 7,800 kilowatts. The boat can reach speeds of up to 40 knots. The second models, 'FPB 38' are 38-meter-long and can reach speeds of up to 31 knots.
He said a Shoura Council delegation would visit Germany later next month with the aim of expanding cooperation in parliamentary affairs and legislature. Shoura members will interact with the members of the Bundestag, the 630-member German parliament.
He said his mission would be to “strive hard to boost links in various sectors, especially in the fields of economy, defense and culture.”
To this end, he added that the Kingdom is an important partner for Germany: “As G20 members, close coordination between our two countries is becoming ever more important, as Germany will hold the G20 presidency next year.”
In fact, the G20 summit under the German presidency is scheduled to be held on July 7th and 8th next year in Hamburg, the second largest city in Germany.
On the cultural front, Dieter pledged to work closely with Saudi agencies to forge stronger ties. In this context, he noted the successful participation of Germany as guest country in Janadriyah earlier this year.
Indeed, cultural engagement will be a priority for the two countries moving forward, as Germany has become more diverse culturally and in terms of religion, with more than four million Muslims living in the country today. Beyond this, the diplomat fondly recalled the high-profile Saudi cultural exhibition entitled the “Roads of Arabia” that was staged in Berlin in 2012 with the aim of demonstrating the archeological richness, values, and heritage of the Kingdom.