PETALING JAYA: The first Littoral Mission Ship (LMS), KD Keris, has been officially commissioned by the Royal Malaysian Navy.

The ceremony, which was held at the Wuchuan Shipbuilding Industry Co Ltd in Wucang Port, Qidong, Shanghai, China, and was officiated by Navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Mohd Reza Mohd Sany on Monday (Jan 6).

Among others who attended the event were Defence Ministry deputy secretary-general (development) Mastura Ahmad Mustafa, as well as top management of Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNSSB) and China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co Ltd (CSOC).

Admiral Mohd Reza also read out the commission order to commemorate Kd Keris being commissioned, as well as installed the command insignia to Commander Mohd Zulkarnain Mohd Rawi, who will be the ship's first commanding officer.

Construction on the ship started on July 31,2018, at the Wuchuan Shuangliu Manufacture Base, Wuhan.

“It has gone through various tests before being handed over to the government, ” the Navy said in a statement.

The ship is among five ships in the Armada Transformation Programme, it added.

“The acquisition contracts between the Defence Ministry and BNSSB were signed on March 21,2017, with the cooperation of CSOC.

“This project is the first capital defence asset acquired from China. The second ship is scheduled to be handed over to the government in April, 2020, while the remaining ships are expected to be handed over in the middle of 2021, ” the Navy said.