NS Lt Gen Dimo Hamaambo


NS Lt Gen Dimo Hamaambo was a of the Namibian Navy. Originally built for the Brazilian Navy it was known as Purus in Brazilian service. Purus was part of ten ships of the class ordered by the Brazilian Navy in 1953. Purus keel was laid on 20 November 1953 was launched on 6 November 1954, and commissioned on 4 July 1955 into the Brazilian Navy.

Brazilian service

It spent 48 years in service with the Brazilian Navy before it was decommissioned in 18 October 2002. During this time it spent 2092 days at sea and sailed 494318,4 miles. On 5 June 2003 its transfer to Namibia was authorized by Law No. 10,685.

Namibian service

On 25 June 2004 the transfer ceremony of the corvette Purus to the Namibian Navy took place in city of Salvador, Brazil. Namibia was represented by Minister of Defence Erkki Nghimtina and Navy Commander Peter Vilho and Brazil was represented by Jose Viegas Filho, Minister of Defence. The ship was rechristened as the NS Lt Gen Dimo Hamaambo at this Ceremony. At the Aratu Naval Base, the ship was then refurbished focusing on accommodation, machinery,electronic and communication equipment.
The Namibian crew first embarked on 15 June 2004 sailing out to sea the same afternoon. On 6 August 2004 the Ship set sail for Walvis Bay arriving on the 25th August 2004 after a 19 day voyage, on the 10 August it suffered a fire in the funnel which was promptly put out. In Namibian service it was utilized in the coastal patrol role.
The ship was decommissioned 12th August 2012 By President Hifikepunye Pohamba. It was revealed during the decommissioning ceremony that it was intended to be at sea for only two years before mid life upgrades for the hull structure, piping and wiring systems and to the main and auxiliary engines had to be underaken which could not happen due to financial constraints. During it service with Namibia the Ship spent 24 days at sea covering 5127 miles.

Name

The ship was named after Lieutenant General Dimo Hamaambo the First Namibian Chief of Defence Force. General Hamaambo was Chief of Defence between 1990 and 2000, a period in which the formative steps where taken to establish the Maritime wing of the Namibian Military.