Mozambique’s Navy gets $550,000 boost Mozambique’s Navy is being boosted by donations of vessels worth some $550,000 from Washington. Three patrol boats worth $140,000 were donated and handed over at a ceremony in Maputo. They will be used forcoastal patrols and humanitarian relief operations. The US chargé d’affaires, Mr Daniel Johnson, said a separate donation of eight or nineboats worth $400,000 would be made shortly.Mozambique’s new naval commander, Admiral Patricio Yotamo, refused to give reporters any information on the number ofpersonnel and vessels he had under his command. The 200 men operate two South African-built Namacurra class inshore patrol boats and some motor boats on Lake Malawi.
South African inflatable boat manufacturer Mako Marine has concluded the delivery of a number of inflatable boats to the Armed Forces of Mozambique (FADM).Mozambique's President and Commander-in-Chief Filipe Nyusi on 15 February inspected the newly delivered Mako Defender 470 boats, which were acquired to replace old and damaged boats. The Mako 470 is a fully inflatable model with a rigid aluminium floor and Hypalon (hydrocarbon resistant material) pontoons, reinforced for military use. It is powered by a 50 hp Yamaha outboard engine, which was selected due to its simplicity, ease of maintenance and ready availability of parts.During his tour, Nyusi visited the Marine Corps Barracks, Artillery Practical School and Maputo Naval Base. He inspected the more than half a dozen Mako boats that were recently delivered to the Forças Armadas de Defesa de Moçambique, along with crew training. This took place from 14 to 17 February at Catembe Military Base outside Maputo and saw eighteen people attend the course.[continua]
