Chile Signs New Policy For Strengthening Local Shipyards To Build Naval Vessels

Chile has introduced a new policy to build more of its naval ships domestically. President Gabriel Boric signed the policy last week during a visit to the Asmar shipyard in Talcahuano, a city on the coast.

The new policy is part of a plan to strengthen Chile’s navy. It will focus on using local shipyards to build naval ships rather than relying on shipyards from other countries.

President Boric first called for a new shipbuilding plan in June 2023. The goal is to strengthen Chile’s defense industry and reduce the need to depend on foreign shipbuilders for important naval platforms.

Asmar, a state-owned shipyard with over 60 years of experience, will play a crucial role in this plan. The shipyard is planning to build the first frigate (a type of warship) for the Chilean Navy by 2032.

Asmar’s Director, Rear Admiral José Miguel Hernandez, said that the shipyard will handle the detailed design and construction of the frigates, but they will also work with other companies to help with necessary systems for the ships.

President Boric said that signing this policy is important for Chile’s sovereignty. The policy will help the country rely less on foreign shipyards and build essential defense ships at home.

The policy will also speed up the delivery of four multipurpose vessels that are part of the Escotillón IV project.

The first of these vessels is almost finished and will begin sea trials later this year. The Escotillón IV project started in 2022 to modernise the Chilean Navy’s transport and logistics capabilities.

The four vessels will be able to operate in the Pacific and Antarctic waters. They will be used for naval logistics, search and rescue and providing humanitarian aid.

Chile has already shown it can build large ships at home, like the icebreaker Almirante Viel which was commissioned in 2024. Completing the Escotillón IV project will be another milestone for Chile’s shipbuilding industry.

At the signing ceremony, President Boric pointed out that Chile is a tricontinental country with one of the longest coastlines in the world. He also said that Chile is the natural gateway to Antarctica, a region the country is focused on.

The new policy was also part of a larger plan proposed last April to make sure Chile’s navy only gets ships from local shipyards in the future.

Rear Admiral Hernandez said that signing this policy is a big challenge for ASMAR, but it also gives the shipyard the chance to plan and renew both the navy’s auxiliary and surface fleet.

Reference: bairdmaritime

Source: Maritime Shipping News