Colombian Navy News

The Duclos family is iconic in boatbuilding circles, as the Somerset, Mass.-based Gladding-Hearn, Duclos Corporation, has built a strong heritage in the pilot boat and fast ferry sectors, and in total more than 425 vessels have been delivered since it was founded in 1955. Today a trio of second-generation siblings run the yard, brothers and co-presidents John and Peter Duclos with sister Carol Hegarty serving as CFO. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News visited the yard recently…

Colombia is making progress towards salvaging a Spanish galleon carrying jewels and coins that sank more than 300 years ago, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Wednesday after receiving a proposal from an investor to bring it to the surface. The ship named San Jose, thought by historians to be carrying one of the largest unsalvaged maritime treasures, sank in 1708 near the historical Caribbean port of Cartagena, and its wreckage was located in 2015. "The discovery of this ship…

Naval experts from around the world are meeting in Cartagena, Colombia, for the Operations and Technology (OPTECH) South 2017 conference. The event is being conducted by the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School’s (NPS) Littoral Operations Center (LOC), supported by the Office of Naval Research-Global and the Colombian Naval Science and Technology Office and Swedish defense company Saab. The littoral is the complex “near shore” environment where hydrography, geography, commerce, fishing…

SAFE Boats International of Bremerton, Wash. announced at 2017 Colombia Mar that it has broadened its previously signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with COTECMAR into a multiyear, definitive Association Agreement to coproduce many of its products already in Colombia. The agreement includes coproduction of SAFE models already in use in Central and South America such as the Defender, Apostle and Full Cabin Jet Boats along with its most recently introduced Multi-Mission Interceptor (MMI).

SAFE Boats International (SBI), a manufacturer of aluminum boats located in Bremerton, Wash., has completed the first Coastal Interceptor Vessel (CIV) on contract from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO). A naming ceremony was held at SAFE Boats International facilities on Thursday, May 26, 2016 to name the vessel the Alexandria as well as celebrate the first CIV as SBI’s 2,000 delivered craft. Invitees to the event included CBP Officials, Congressional staff members, local government officials and business people, equipment suppliers and media.

Colombia will build a museum to showcase artefacts found in the wreckage of a Spanish galleon discovered near the historic Caribbean port city of Cartagena, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Saturday. The San Jose, thought by historians to be laden with emeralds and precious coins, sank in 1708. It was part of the fleet of King Philip V, who fought the English during the War of Spanish Succession. "We will build a great museum here in Cartagena," Santos said on national television from Cartagena's naval base. "Without a doubt, without room for any doubt, we have found, 307 years after it sank, the San Jose galleon," Santos said. A team of international experts…

SAFE Boats International has been selected by the Colombian Navy/Coast Guard to build its new Type-F Riverine Interceptor Vessel. The contract will provide the Colombian Navy/Coast Guard with a state-of-the-art, shallow draft, aluminum high speed intercept vessel designed to provide tactical mobility and support in opposed riverine and littoral environments. The vessel will perform missions of offensive patrolling, combat drug trafficking, piracy, arms and explosives smuggling and can conduct vessel-to-vessel boarding operations to guarantee the security of commercial shipping lines within Colombia. The proven SAFE Boats International design has twin Yamaha outboard engines…

Export hulls – through the FMS Program, as well as Direct Sales – are a key piece of the business model. Even as the crash in energy prices feeds the oversupply of offshore support vessels – a key staple of U.S. boatbuilding diets – and the dwindling backlogs of some so-called ‘second tier’ yards,  a number of U.S. boat builders are still seeing robust demand for security vessels. Separately, tightening federal, state, municipal and overseas budgets are being trumped by the increased need for security craft that can perform more than one function.

U.S. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Charles Michel formally assumed the role of vice commandant of the Coast Guard during a ceremony at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters Monday. As vice commandant, Michel will oversee the Coast Guard’s operations, strategic development, organizational governance and management of the service’s more than 58,000 employees and 30,000 volunteers. "I am humbled and honored to be given this important opportunity to further serve the American people and the men and women of the United States Coast Guard,” said Michel. Michel became the 30th vice commandant of the Coast Guard after serving as the service's deputy commandant for operations…

SAFE Boats International informs it has been awarded a contract from U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to build up to 52 coastal interceptor vessels (CIV). Should all options be executed, the contract value would exceed $48 million. Bremerton, Wash. Based manufacturer of aluminum vessels SAFE Boats describes its CIV as a 41-foot rugged and maneuverable vessel, capable of high speed interceptions and ultra-tight turns in close proximity to other vessels as well as open ocean speeds over 54 knots.

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has delivered the first of six Chesapeake Class pilot boats for coastal and offshore patrol operations and port security, provided by the Colombian Department of the Navy. Designed by C. Raymond Hunt & Associates, the all-aluminum deep-V hull measures 56.6 feet overall, with a 17.8-foot beam and 3-foot draft, and has a top speed of 27 knots. The launch is powered by twin MAN R6-800CRM diesel engines, each delivering 800 Bhp at 2,300 rpm. The engines turn Ultra Jet UJ-452 water jets through ZF 360 gears.

While economies across Europe have essentially bumbled, stumbled and fumbled in the wake of the global economic meltdown, Germany has remained comparitively strong. Despite the general migration of shipbuilding to the Far East, we decided to check in on the current status of this proud nation with a strong maritime heritage. German shipbuilders concentrated in 2012 on building cruise ships, megayachts, freight ferries and additional high-value, specialty ships. In total, nine German shipyards across 12 shipbuilding sites supplied 21 sea going ships with a total tonnage of 473,700.

Government of Colombia lawyers concede salvage company Sea Search Armada to be rightful owner of 50% of treasure proceeds. Lawyers representing the Government of Colombia (GOC) admitted recently in a U.S. court that Sea Search Armada (SSA), engaged in a long-running suit with Colombia, was the rightful owner of 50 percent of the proceeds of perhaps the most valuable sunken treasure in history. This is the first time representatives of the government have conceded this point in over 30 years of legal wrangling. The admission came in oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in Washington, D.C. over the validity of SSA's suit.

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, is building the first of three Chesapeake Class pilot boats for coastal and offshore patrol operations and port security provided by the Colombian Department of the Navy. Designed by C. Raymond Hunt and Associates, the all-aluminum deep-V hull measures 56.6 feet overall, with a 17.8-foot beam and 3-foot draft and will have a top speed of 27 knots. The launch will be powered by twin MAN R6-800CRM diesel engines, each delivering 800 Bhp at 2,100 rpm. The engines turn Ultra Jet UJ-452 water jets through ZF 360 gears. The boat is equipped with a 16kW Alaska Diesel genset. At the transom is a winch-operated, rotating davit over the water-level recessed platform for rescue operations.

LRAD Corporation (NASDAQ: LRAD), a provider of long range acoustic hailing devices (AHDs), has announced  it has received a $323,000 order for LRAD 300X systems and support equipment. The LRAD 300X systems will be installed on Colombian Navy coastal defense patrol boats. "We're pleased to receive another follow-on order from Colombia, which highlights the opportunity for international sales growth of LRAD products," remarked Tom Brown, the Company's president and CEO. "The Colombian Navy will be employing the LRAD 300X systems to broadcast warnings and critical information to vessels from safe, stand off distances. The order from the Colombian Navy follows prior orders from the Colombian Air Force…

“A.R.C. 20 de Julio”, joins the National Navy fleet. • 300 direct work posts and 1500 indirect work posts generated by Cotecmar through the construction of this vessel. A new milestone has been accomplished this week in Colombia’s corporate history. The delivery of the “A.R.C. 20 de Julio” vessel by Cotecmar to the Colombian Navy consolidates the reemergence of an industry that, until recently, was not too widely known in our country. It is the shipyard industry, which, by means of its endeavors in terms of scientific and technological development…

Guido Perla has always had a love of the sea. Perla, who was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, came to the U.S. in 1971 to pursue his dream of using the "tools" he was given to become a naval architect. His story is one that is marked by innovation, relationships and hard work. — By Regina P. Guido Perla’s philosophy on naval architecture and marine engineering — on life — is easily summed up: "I always follow what my father used to say," Perla said. "It is better to be wrong than to be average." Perla is not shy to admit that he's not always perfect, but that does not mean that he will not try and try again until he achieves perfection. "You don't learn anything from sitting around and doing nothing," Perla quips. "You learn from making a move and taking risks.

The Colombian navy has seized a 60-foot long submarine that likely was used to haul tons of cocaine out to sea for shipment to the United States. No drugs were found when the fiberglass submarine was discovered Thursday about 30 miles from the Pacific Coast port of Buenaventura, but three people were arrested and two speedboats seized. The submarine carried cocaine to speedboats in the Pacific Ocean for transportation to Central America and on to the United States. Authorities say smuggling cocaine by sea has in recent years become the top method of transport, as radar systems have made it exceedingly difficult to smuggle drugs in small airplanes without being detected.

Navy representatives from Chilé and the United States met recently in Florida to discuss action plans and share ideas to enhance cooperative activities between the two navies, according to a Naval Newsstand report. Known as Operational Naval Committees (ONC), the meetings facilitate planning and successful execution of combined maritime operations in the region. Topics discussed included ship rider and subject matter expert exchanges, mobile training teams, foreign liaison officer assignment, and optimizing resources. With much worldwide focus on the Middle East, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), headquartered in Miami, Fla., is actively engaged in Latin America and Caribbean regions.

Monterey hosted three Colombian naval officers, and four Monterey Sailors and one Coast Guardsman cross-decked to experience life in another country’s navy. Monterey is currently operating in the Caribbean Sea as part of “Partnership of the Americas,” an opportunity for the U.S. Navy to strengthen ties through operations and exercises with Caribbean and Latin American partner nations. During the two-day bilateral training exercise, Monterey and the Colombian frigate ARC Antioquia (FN 53) conducted a mock boarding using both ships. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 406, embarked on Monterey, and the ship’s Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) team practiced boarding the vessel using a training scenario designed to emulate discovery of explosives during the boarding process.

According to the Baltimore Sun last April 21, 100,000 visitors came to town the day before, just to see the boats. Most had arrived for the Volvo races, an endurance test of sorts. But without so much press, from as far off as Seattle, another 48 came for a ship whose endurance was legend already. For a near half-century with the Coast Guard, the Tamaroa fought famously bad seas - and before that, enemy fire. Her quiet admirers arrived Balto with scrapers in hand, wrenches at the ready, plans in mind. Tamaroa had taken world wars and nature's wrath in stride. But civilian life got her down. Her preceding nine years were spent in near-isolation, open to intruders and the elements, gathering rust. April 20 was the day all that would change. Some of the 48 came to relive, some to renew.