As part of a Community tender for the Defense and Security sector, Fincantieri – a shipbuilding company - signed a contract with the General Secretariat of Defense and the National Directorate of Armaments – Directorate of Naval Armaments (NAVARM) for the construction of a new Major Hydro-Oceanographic Naval Unit (N.I.O.M.) for the Navy Hydrographic Institute. Delivery is set for 2026. The contract is worth a total of about 280 million euros and includes integrated logistical support and temporary support services for a period of six years plus four options. So began the process of updating the Navy's hydrographic service units. This program is part of an innovative, European-wide project that includes the Ministry of Defense and for which the European Investment Bank and the Ministry of Economy and Finance have reached a funding agreement. The unit must be able to work in any weather or sea conditions and still perform well. Many complicated systems will have to work together to make this happen. The unit was made to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Technology to decrease emissions, diesel-electric propulsion to maximize fuel efficiency, fuel-efficient hull designs, and eco-friendly construction materials are among its most notable characteristics.
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