LÉ James Joyce
Irish Naval Service patrol vessel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
LÉ James Joyce (P62) is a Samuel Beckett-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) which was built by Babcock Marine Appledore for the Irish Naval Service.[6][7] Although criticised by a descendant of the author,[8][9] the ship was named for writer James Joyce.[10][11]
LÉ James Joyce moored at Haulbowline | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Ireland | |
| Name | LÉ James Joyce |
| Namesake | James Joyce, Irish novelist and poet |
| Ordered | October 2010 |
| Builder | Babcock Marine Appledore, North Devon |
| Cost | €71 million[1] |
| Laid down | November 2013 |
| Launched | 23 November 2014 |
| Sponsored by | Carol Joyce |
| Christened | 1 September 2015[2] |
| Commissioned | 1 September 2015[2] |
| Identification |
|
| Status | in active service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Samuel Beckett-class offshore patrol vessel |
| Displacement | 2,256 tonnes Standard[3] |
| Length | 90.00 m (295.28 ft) |
| Beam | 14.00 m (45.93 ft) |
| Speed |
|
| Range | 6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) |
| Complement | 54 (44 crew + 10 trainees)[4] |
| Armament |
|
| Aviation facilities | UAV capable[5] |
Design and construction
In October 2010, the Irish Naval Service ordered a number of new offshore patrol vessels from Babcock Marine, a UK-based shipbuilder operating out of Appledore, North Devon. Like the similar Róisín-class OPV, James Joyce was designed by Vard Marine.[12]
In July 2013, the name of the vessel, James Joyce was announced by the Minister for Defence Alan Shatter in Dáil Éireann.[13]
Operational history
The ship was completed and floated out of the shipyard in November 2014.[14] Following sea-trials and a number of delays it was delivered to the Naval Service in mid-2015.[11][15][16] The official naming and commissioning ceremony was held at Dún Laoghaire on 1 September 2015.[2] In November 2016, personnel from the LÉ James Joyce boarded the FV Margiris as part of a fisheries inspection.[17][18] On 15 November 2024, the LÉ James Joyce escorted a suspected Russian spy vessel out of the Irish Sea after it was observed operating in area "containing critical energy and internet submarine pipelines and cables".[19]
