New Ferretti Security and Defence division

The luxury Italian-made and Chinese-owned Ferretti boatbuilding group has entered the burgeoning global defence and security market with the launch of its new Ferretti Security and Defence (FSD) division.

The new division will focus on designing, developing and producing a new range of high-tech naval platforms with mission profiles and specifications precisely intended for the challenging conditions encountered during operations to guarantee the security, patrol and defence of our coastline and international and territorial waters.

The new division of Ferretti Group was launched in Rome this week during a press conference held at the Temple of Hadrian, when Alberto Galassi, CEO of Ferretti Group, illustrated the new project to the Minister of the Interior, Hon. Angelino Alfano, and the senior representatives of the Armed Forces and of the Government who attended the event.

With major investments worth around 50 million Euros in product research and development, already leading to six new models being added to the range in 2015, and a total of 27 new products due within 2017, the Group is expanding the scope of its operations. You can also see the DNA of boats like its Pershings in the renderings published hereabouts.

FSD says it aims to meet the growing demand for innovative vessels offering a cutting-edge performance and state of the art technological solutions, engineered to cater for all of the potential scenarios that may be encountered at sea.

The new division will use Ferretti's considerable production capacity at the Group’s six boatyards located across Italy, as well as the know-how of its resources in terms of technology and quality that have been amassed since it was founded 50 years ago, it says.

More and more boatbuilders are entering the defence market and
utilising thier latent production capacities these days. Even Maritimo on the Gold
Coast recently flagged its interest and had renderings of patrol boats
it hoped to build for the local market.

Meanwhile, the Ferretti Group says it's in an ideal position to build vessels in steel, aluminium and composite materials that are specifically designed for applications such as Search and Rescue missions or Patrol, Surveillance, Anticrime and Antiterrorism operations.

The first Fast Patrol Vessel built by Ferretti Security and Defence, called the FSD195, is a high performance 20m vessel capable of reaching speeds in excess of 50 knots and with a range of over 400 miles

The FSD195 has RINA FPV and CE approvals and is already being built with the first launch scheduled for the coming summer in Europe.

Worldwide, the Navy, the Coast Guard and the Police are becoming increasingly involved in the monitoring and control of our coastlines, taking an active part in patrol, search and rescue missions, as well as having to deal with emergencies linked with migrants, trafficking, and safety at sea.

In 2012, the Ferretti Group was acquired by the China-based Shandong Heavy Industry Group, known for manufacturing construction machinery and other heavy-duty industrial products. More at www.ferrettisecurityanddefence.com.