Deirdre-class

Summary

Description

After three years of evaluating the sole class Deirdre, the Irish Naval Service commissioned LÉ Emer (P21), an improved version of the Deirdre, built in Verolme Dockyard, Cork, Ireland, in 1977. The service ordered the Emer in 1975, and it was commissioned in January 1978, joining the fleet as a patrol vessel named after Emer, the legendary Irish folk hero Cúchulainn's principal wife. Emer shared design similarities with her sister ships LÉ Aoife (P22) and LÉ Aisling (P23). Her service period with the Irish Naval Service lasted until her decommission on September 20, 2013, marking 35 years in operation.

Regarding her operational history, she served reliably with the Irish Naval Service for over three decades. Upon her decommissioning in September 2013, LÉ Emer underwent a transition to a new phase of her life. She was sold at auction for €320,000 to a Nigerian businessman in October of the same year.

Despite her sale, the vessel’s journey encountered complications when she was impounded by the Nigerian Navy in July 2014. The seizure occurred because the new owner did not acquire the necessary military approvals to bring the ship into Nigerian waters. Navigating these regulatory waters took time, but eventually, on February 19, 2015, Emer was recommissioned into the Nigerian Navy as a training ship and was renamed NNS Prosperity.

Technical specifications