South American shipyards end 2024 positively as regional navies bet on local manufacturers
The Brazilian Navy’s frigate Tamandaré at Thyssen shipyard. (Photo: Brazilian Navy)
The year ends with several South American navies undergoing ambitious programmes to modernise their fleets. A common denominator is that regional services want domestically manufactured surface vessels and even submarines.
The last quarter of 2024 was busy for South American shipyards with important announcements that suggest a promising 2025. Shipyards in Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru have been moving forward with construction projects for domestic and even regional customers.
Brazil has the most advanced shipbuilding capacity in the region, exemplified by the successful PROSUB submarine programme. As for surface vessels, on 13 November, a steel-cutting ceremony took place for the future frigate Cunha Moreira (F202); the consortium Aguas Azuis is tasked with building four Tamandaré-class frigates.
According to Brazilian shipbuilder EMGEPRON, “it is the first that time three
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