COTECMAR, Colombia’s government-owned shipyard, has handed over an Ocean Patrol Vessel to the Colombian Navy as part of a long-term naval shipbuilding initiative launched in 2016. The newly delivered ARC 24 de Julio marks a milestone as the first domestically designed and assembled warship of its size and complexity to enter Colombian service.
Ship construction started in March 2023 and concluded nearly two years later, requiring more than 1,070 tons of steel. The vessel was launched in July 2025 and subsequently underwent six months of testing and final integration activities.
The project provided a major boost to local industry, creating over 1,100 direct jobs and supporting more than 2,200 additional positions through a network of 343 suppliers. With an overall length of 93 meters and a beam of 14 meters, the ARC 24 de Julio is equipped with a flight deck to support operations of medium maritime helicopters.
Optimized for extended patrol, surveillance, interdiction, and search-and-rescue missions, the vessel will operate across Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific maritime zones. Although propulsion and performance details remain undisclosed, the ship will reinforce the navy’s PF2030 modernization roadmap, which also features the construction of Sigma-class frigates with Dutch shipbuilder Damen, with the first hull planned for delivery by 2030.
