Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has been selected to upgrade P61 offshore patrol vessels for the armed forces of Malta.
The contract, financially supported by the European Union and the government of Malta, tasks Fincantieri with upgrading vessels the company built over ten years ago. Malta's military initially ordered the ships to replace its East German Kondor-class patrol boats in 2003. The ships were delivered in 2005.