LÉ Emer (P21)

LÉ Emer (P21) of the Irish Naval Service, now known as NNS Prosperity of the Nigerian Navy, was built as a patrol vessel in Verolme Dockyard, Cork, Ireland in 1977.[1]

Emer at Haulbowline in October 2007
History
Ireland
Name: LÉ Emer
Namesake: Emer, the principal wife of Cúchulainn
Builder: Verolme Dockyard, Cork
Yard number: 29
Laid down: 28 February 1977
Launched: 26 September 1977
Commissioned: 16 January 1978
Decommissioned: 20 September 2013
Homeport: Haulbowline Naval Base
Identification:
Status: Discarded 2013
Nigeria
Name: NNS Prosperity
Acquired: Seized 2014
Commissioned: 19 February 2015
Identification:
Status: in active service
General characteristics
Class and type: Emer-class offshore patrol vessel
Displacement: 1,019.5 tonnes Standard
Length: 65.2 m (214 ft) overall
Beam: 10.5 m (34 ft)
Draught: 4.4 m (14 ft)
Speed: 31.5 km/h (17.0 kn) maximum
Complement: 46 (5 officers and 41 ratings )
Armament:
  • 1 × Bofors L40/70
  • 2 × Rheinemetall RH202 20 mm cannons
  • MAG58 7.62 mm

After evaluating Deirdre for 3 years, Emer was ordered by the Irish Naval Service in 1975. Commissioned in January 1978, she was named after Emer, the principal wife of Cúchulainn, a legendary Irish folk hero.[2]

She was an improved version of the sole of class Deirdre and similar to LÉ Aoife (P22) and LÉ Aisling (P23). She was commissioned on 16 January 1978 and had 35 years of service with the Irish Naval Service.[2]

Decommissioned on 20 September 2013,[3] in October 2013 Emer was sold at auction for €320,000 to a Nigerian businessman.[4]

In July 2014 Emer was impounded by the Nigerian Navy because the new owner had failed to secure the necessary military approval before bringing the ship into Nigerian waters.[5] On 19 February 2015 Emer was commissioned into the Nigerian Navy as a training ship and renamed NNS Prosperity.[6][7]

References
  1. "Naval vessel LE Emer stood down". Irish Times. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  2. "LÉ Emer to be decommissioned in ceremony today". The Journal. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  3. Ralph, Riegel (2013-08-28). "New life as luxury liner or research ship awaits navy's oldest vessel". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2013-09-17.
  4. "Le Emer sold at auction for €320,000". 2013-10-23.
  5. "Navy blames foreigners for most of crime on Nigeria waters". 2015-03-10.
  6. "Nigeria: President Jonathan commissions 4 new Naval ships". 2015-03-10.
  7. "Jonathan Commissions Four New Ships". 2015-03-10. Archived from the original on 2015-02-21.


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