Ecuador builds for the future
Shipyard ASTINAVE is expanding its facilities as it builds a new multi-purpose vessel for the Ecuadorian Navy, but the project has been hampered by COVID-related delays and its overall cost is unclear.
As Ecuador approaches a general election on 7 February which will influence the future direction of defence procurement in the South American country, state-run shipyard ASTINAVE is expanding its facilities to carry out new shipbuilding projects.
The main Planta Centro yard is being adapted for construction of an 80m-long multi-purpose vessel for the Ecuadorian Navy (Armada de Ecuador), based on the Fassmer MPV70 MKII design, as the most ambitious project to date for ASTINAVE.
A spokesperson for the shipbuilder explained to Shephard that Planta Centro will be temporarily expanded and additional space could be rented as ‘the ship will be
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