Chilean, Colombian Navies Place Orders for Fassmer OPV 80

Chilean and Colombian Navies have placed orders for additional Offshore Patrol Vessels of Fassmer’s successful OPV80 design.

The Chilean Navy has already in service two OPV80 (OPV Piloto Pardo and OPV Comandante Toro) and has plans to extend its fleet up to a total of 5 OPVs. The excellent performance of the first batch, alongside its low operational cost, has been a key factor in the confirmation of the follow up vessels by the Navy. The construction of the third OPV will take place at ASMAR shipyard in Talcahuano, Chile, during 2012.

In the case of the Colombian Navy, the confirmation of the Ministry of Defense to order the second OPV80 came just after successful testing of the first OPV (ARC 20 de Julio) in the Caribbean Sea on December 2011. The Colombian Navy has plans to extend its OPV80 fleet to an undisclosed number of units. The follow-up OPV is scheduled to start construction during the first semester of 2012 at COTECMAR shipyard in Cartagena, Colombia.

With these additional orders, there are a total of 3 OPV80 in service, 2 under construction and further 9 planned within 3 Navies, making Fassmer’s OPV80 one of the most successful OPVs worldwide.

Main Dimensions:

Length – 80,60 m

Beam moulded – 13,00 m

Draught – 3,80 m

Displacement – 1850 t

Classification – lroS + 100 A1 + lmC UmS Gl +100 N5 AUX-NH +mC AUt AUX-Nm

[mappress]

Shipbuilding Tribune Staff, February 6, 2012; Image: fassmer