Istanbul: Chief of Navy Admiral Datuk Zulhelmy Ithnain yesterday officiated at the keel laying ceremony for the Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN) Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 (LMSB2) project at Istanbul Shipyard, Turkiye.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the keel laying ceremony-a key phase in the construction of a ship’s main structure-was witnessed by Defence Ministry secretary-general Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali. The ceremony, held in conjunction with the Defence Ministry delegation’s visit to Turkiye, is a longstanding tradition in the shipbuilding industry that marks the start of joining the main blocks of a ship at a shipyard. “This ceremony also signifies continuity from the steel cutting event held on Dec 4, 2024, and marks the transition from the construction phase to the assembly phase of the ship’s structure,” RMN said.

Also present at the event were delegates from the Defence Ministry, RMN representatives, the LMSB2 team, and Savunma Teknolojileri Muhendislik (STM) deputy general manager Blent Soydal.

RMN added that during the visit to Turkiye, a Project Monitoring Committee (PMC) meeting was held on April 7, chaired by Lokman Hakim along with company representatives, to oversee matters related to management, administration, contract implementation, and progress of the LMSB2 construction. “The company presented updates on the progress of all three ships involved, which showed highly encouraging development,” the post said.

Based on the current progress, the LMSB2 vessels are expected to be completed and launched by mid-2026, with delivery to RMN scheduled for the end of 2027.