MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay to purchase brand new OPVs from Spanish shipyard

The Spanish-built OPVs “will have the mission of recovering control of the maritime space,” García explained

Uruguayan authorities Monday announced they had placed an order for the purchase of two brand-new Ocean Patrol Vessels (OPV) from the Spanish shipyard Cardama for € 82 million, it was reported in Montevideo.

Defense Minister Javier García said that with this new acquisition, the Uruguayan Navy will have six new ships, the largest modernization of the force in many years.

García recalled that three ships were brought from the United States, and “what we are going to receive from the Republic of Korea, plus the two ocean patrol vessels, you have to go back to 91, where five ships entered the Navy to have, in this case, it is even greater, there are 6 ships, which are going to fulfill what we announced, we committed ourselves in the government program and announced on the first day here, which is the modernization of the National Navy.”

The three Marine Protector ships, purchased by the government from the United States, were added to the Uruguayan Navy in 2022. The government invested about US$5 million in these three vessels, including refit, spare parts package, equipment, and crew training.

The Spanish-built OPVs “will have the mission of recovering control of the maritime space,” García also explained. They have a maximum speed of 24 knots and a capacity for about 80 crew members.

“Today the control of the maritime space was limited by the deterioration and age of the existing vessels in the country,” the minister added.

The Defense Ministry decided to acquire the vessels for technical reasons and based on the requirements set forth by the National Navy itself, such as the need for armament, a heliport, as well as other conditions for the fulfillment of the mission of caring for natural resources and the repression of illegal fishing.

The vessels were acquired through funds set aside in the National Corporation for Development (CND) and General Revenue and will be delivered by 2025.

The Spanish shipyard's offer was the lowest cost, out of a total of eight international bids. It was also the one with the fastest delivery date compared to its competitors.

The OPVs are modern and economical multipurpose vessels, which have a high degree of flexibility to carry out tasks at sea.