Artist rendering of the future icebreaker for Argentinian Navy (Picture source: Argentinian MoD)
Navy Recognition reports, state owned “Tandanor Naval Shipyard will proceed to the construction of a polar ship for the Argentinian Navy.”
“The new polar ship will have a length of 131,5 m, a beam of 23,6 m, and could reach a top speed of 16 knots.”
That is 431’4″ long and 77’5″ of beam.
Argentina is moving to strengthen their claim on territory in Antarctica.
In 2015 they completed repairs on their only icebreaker which had suffered a serious fire in 2007.
In 2019 Argentina contracted for four Offshore Patrol Vessels, three of which were to be ice-strengthened. Two of the ice-strengthened OPVs have already been delivered and the third should be delivered this year.
Argentina’s claim on Antarctica overlaps those of the UK and Chile.
