Damen books Colombian Navy frigate contract

Colombian Navy frigate will be base on Damen SIGMA 10514 model.[Image: Damen]

Colombian shipbuilder COTECMAR has signed a contract that will see Damen support it in the construction of a Colombian Navy frigate. Under the contract, Damen will supply COTECMAR with technical support and the supply of components for the frigate. Formally (and lengthily) described as “
the Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie (PES) – Strategic Surface Platform),” it will be the first frigate to be built in Colombia and will be based on Damen’s SIGMA 10514 model.

With a length of 107.5 meters and a beam of 14.02 meters, the SIGMA 10514 is the most recent and advanced frigate in the SIGMA series.

Following Mexico and Brazil, Colombia will be the third country in Latin America able to build these types of complex naval vessels under license at its own shipyards.

The ship represents a significant investment in local employment and the technological development of the Colombian maritime industry and thus the national economy.

The contract signing was attended by Reina Buijs, Ambassador of the Netherlands in Colombia, Vice Admiral Juan Ricardo Rozo Obregón, Comandante de la Armada de Colombia, Vice Admiral Luis Fernando Marquez Velosa, president of COTECMAR, Roland Briene, managing director of Damen Naval and Pieter Becker, commercial director PES Colombia of Damen Naval.

Admiral Rozo spoke of a “historic day, both for the Colombian Navy and for COTECMAR.”

Pieter Becker said that he was looking forward to the start of the construction of the Colombian Navy frigate and noted that the order was partly due to the good cooperation that COTECMAR and Damen developed during the recent construction of the oceanographic and arctic research vessel Simón Bolívar.