Desan Shipyard lays keel for Malaysia’s secodn multi-purpose mission vessel

Turkish shipbuilder Desan Shipyard has held a keel laying ceremony for the second multi-purpose mission ship (MPMS-2) being built for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).

The ceremony took place on June 25, 2026, at DESAN’s facilities in Türkiye and was attended by company representatives as well as officials from Malaysia, including diplomatic and defence attaché staff. According to the shipbuilder, the event signifies the transition of the MPMS-2 project into full production.

The MPMS-2 is the second vessel in a program ordered by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency as part of efforts to expand and modernise its offshore enforcement and maritime security fleet.

The 99-meter platform is designed as a multi-purpose asset capable of conducting maritime patrol and enforcement missions, and is expected to operate with fast interception boats as well as unmanned surface and aerial systems.

Keel laying is a traditional milestone in ship construction that formally marks the beginning of a vessel’s structural assembly, following earlier design and steel-cutting phases.

As emphasized by Desan’s Chairman of the Board, Cenk İsmail Kaptanoğlu, this project, which is progressing ahead of schedule, stands as one of the most concrete indicators of the long-term strategic partnership between Türkiye and Malaysia.

To remind, in January this year, Türkiye and Malaysia signed a contract for the construction of this vessel. The agreement reflects the deepening defense-industrial ties between Ankara and Kuala Lumpur and aligns with Türkiye’s broader strategy of leveraging its domestic defense ecosystem to support allied and partner nations.