TEHRAN – The Iranian navy will be delivered locally produced engines with a capacity of 1300 horsepower to operate its vessels, the managing director of the Marine Industries Organization said on Saturday.

The delivery will take place by March 2019, the end of the current Iranian calendar year, Rear Admiral Amir Rastegari said at a ceremony arranged to highlight technological advances made in marine industry. 

According to the Mehr news agency, Rastegari also boasted that Iran has a broad range of capabilities in designing, manufacturing and repairing different kinds of vessels.

“Today, having ten offices, the Defense Ministry’s Marine Industries Organization is responsible for designing and manufacturing surface combatant, submarines, ground-effect vehicles (GEVs), hovercrafts, flying boats and fast attack crafts (FACs),” the defense official explained.

He added that there are offices allocated to designing diesel and gasoline engines as well as propelling systems.

“The Marine Organization has 16 technology development centers for various composite, steel, aluminum, smart systems and electric thrust development,” he said.

The organization also has five shipyards in the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea, Rastegari stated.

He also said the first waterjet engine will be produced by March 2019.

“The engine is used for high speed boats and it has been put on the sanctions list,” the defense official said, adding that the youth have successfully turned this challenge into an opportunity.

Also during the ceremony, the Ministry of Transport and Urban Development, the Armed Forces’ Marine Industries Organization and the Ministry of Industry, Mining, and Trade inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to design and produce 70 watercrafts.

The watercrafts will be used in offshore services and support, transportation and towing, replacing leased watercrafts.

MH/PA