The Ecuadorian Navy has welcomed two patrol vessels that were donated to the country by the South Korean Coast Guard.
The ceremony was held on December 18, at the coast guard command in the port city Guayaquil, which houses the country’s largest port.
Former Korea Coast Guard Haeuri-class patrol vessels 302 and 303 arrived in Ecuador after starting their journey from Port of Masan, South Korea, early November. South Korea donated the vessels, but Ecuador paid for the transport and will have to overhaul the ships before they can start operations. The overhaul is expected to take between two and three months to complete.
The two 300-ton ships were built in 1990 and 1991, respectively. They will now patrol the waters off the Galapagos Islands, operating from the Galapagos base and the Posorja port. They will be joining another vessel that Ecuador previously had available for the task.
Crewed by 27 sailors, the patrol vessels have a total length of 53.70 meters and a maximum speed of 19 knots.
The vessels were donated as part of a maritime cooperation agreement signed between Ecuador and South Korea in May 2019.
The Ecuadorian Navy fleet mostly consists of second-hand vessels. However, the country is building a new multipurpose combat vessel that will be designed by German company Fassmer and built by local companies.
