Damen Naval has signed a contract with Lloyd’s Register (LR) on the Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie (PES) frigate for Colombia.
Colombian shipbuilder Corporación de Ciencia y Tecnología para el Desarrollo de la Industria Naval, Marítima y Fluvial (COTECMAR) will build the frigate on its shipyard in Colombia.
Following a successful design study contract with COTECMAR, Damen Naval signed a contract for the delivery of engineering, technical support and the shipbuilding materials and equipment for the first frigate in August 2024.
Lloyd’s Register has been involved with the project since the end of 2022, initially for Plan Approval Services within the design study contract. The company has now been contracted to execute the full Plan Approval in the project execution phase.
The PES design is based on the Damen Naval SIGMA 10514 series, previously built for Indonesia and Mexico.
The Colombian frigate will have a length of 107 metres and a beam of 14 metres, with a scheduled delivery to the Colombian Navy in 2030.
“Lloyd’s Register will assess the design and provide support to maximise the safety and assurance of the vessel”, said Yorick Spoelstra, Business Development Manager Navy for Lloyd’s Register.
“Lloyd’s is very proud to be part of this project, building further on our longstanding relationship with Damen Naval.”
“This project allows Damen Naval, as a trusted partner, to enable COTECMAR, the Colombian Navy and the Colombian maritime industry to construct a frigate locally for the first time,” says Damen Naval Project Director, Jasper Oreel.
“In this way, it contributes to a strong, self-sufficient defense industry in Colombia. Our partnership with Lloyd’s Register will help ensure that the vessel will live up to a modern-day safety standard.”
Earlier this September, LR reported that the maritime artificial intelligence (AI) industry is already worth $4.13 billion, with a 23 per cent compound annual growth rate expected over the next five years.