MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean Navy state of the art OPV “Piloto Pardo” visits Punta Arenas

The vessel was built in Chile with German blueprints

One of Chile’s Navy latest incorporations Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV 81) “Piloto Pardo” is currently in Punta Arenas from where it will be operating during summer months in fisheries patrol protection, search and rescue operations and other Chilean sovereignty activities along the country’s long coastline, EEZ plus Antarctic logistics tasks.

“Piloto Pardo” was entirely built in Chile following on German OPV Fassmer blueprints adapted for the needs of the Chilean navy and was commissioned in June 2008. She is 80 metres long, has a draught of 3.8 metres, maximum speed of 20 knots, displaces 1.728 tons and includes a small landing pad for a Dauphine helicopter and is equipped with two fast boarding boats. She is manned by a crew of 35 and has an autonomy of approximately 30 days, equivalent to 8.000 nautical miles.

“Piloto Pardo” is one of four OPV under the Danubio IV project of which two have been delivered, the latest “Comandante Toro” last August. Apparently the vessel can operate with only one of four power generators and abides by international fuel consumption and emission standards. She has equipment to detect and help contain sea contamination. The bridge can be manned with just four persons.

Coincidently over the weekend she was docked in Punta Arenas next to the “Antarctic Dream” the former “Piloto Pardo” that has been converted into a small cruise vessel for trips to southern Chile fiords, Tierra del Fuego and the Magellan strait.

Chilean Navy sources quoted by La Prensa Austral from Punta Arenas said that the navies from Argentina and Colombia have expressed an interest in these OPV.

“Under international agreements Chile has search and rescue responsibilities in an area of almost 27 million square kilometres, so we need this type of state of the art vessels”, said Captain Manuel Silva Terán, commander of the vessel.

“We are proud to be back in Punta Arenas where the name Piloto Pardo has such strong roots and links”, he said.