The Marina de la Defensa Nacional (Guatemalan Navy) is to receive a logistics support and landing ship, which will be operated from Puerto Quetzal, on the nation’s Pacific coast, on humanitarian relief, support and counter-narcotics operations.

The vessel, built by the Cotecmar shipyard in Colombia, is to the same BALC-C design as already operated by the Colombian Navy. Procured for a total of $11.7 million (€10.4 million), the vessel is expected to arrive in Guatemala in October or November, after completion of both sea trials and training. Meanwhile, Colombia has sent its own ARC PUNTA ESPADA, built to the same design, to Puerto Quetzal to assist in the training of Guatemalan crews.

Santiago Rivas and Florencia Lucero Heguy