Project · Naval shipbuilding · Colombia

PES Frigate — Colombian Navy strategic surface platform programme

A Dutch-designed warship being built under licence in Latin America — a rare naval/shipbuilding entry showing Damen's engineering and technology-transfer model exported far outside Europe, distinct from its troubled domestic ASW-frigate and cancelled German F126 programmes.

Checked by hand against the sources below (2026-10-20).

  1. Engineering (done)
  2. Fabrication (now)
  3. Construction
  4. Hook-up
  5. Commissioning (next)
  6. Operation

Now Fabrication (reported: Fabrication / modular construction; official construction-start and first steel-cut announcement dated 4 February 2026.)

Next Commissioning · 2029 (sea trials target 2029, as reported)

Roles Commissioning & start-up · QA/QC & HSE · Project management & controls · Role groups per phase: our planning assumption from the Crew Forecast model.

Later Operation 2030 (delivery target 2030, as reported)

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Their rate stays; our fee goes on top: 20% → 15% → 12%. Open book →

Who works on it as the sources name them

  • COTECMARFabrication / constructionshipyard, local construction
  • Damen NavalEngineering & designSIGMA-based ship design, engineering, technical support and materials, under a contract signed with COTECMAR
Kind
Naval shipbuilding
Country
Colombia
Size
107.5 m frigate, 14.02 m beam; largest defence vessel Colombia has built, modular construction with 52 naval steel blocks
Operator
Colombian Navy
Position
10.40°N 75.55°W, approximate

Sources

  1. COTECMAR and Damen to build frigate for Colombian NavyDamen (company newsroom) · published 2024-08-12 · read 2026-10-20
  2. COTECMAR Shipyard Starts Construction of First PES Frigate for Colombian NavyNaval News · published 2026-02-05 · read 2026-09-19
  3. Colombian Navy awards contract to COTECMAR for first PES frigate, ocean patrol vessel, and logistic support shipJanes · published 2022-11-30 · read 2026-09-19
  4. El presidente de Colombia visita Cotecmar y conoce sus capacidades de construcción navalInfodefensa · published 2026-09-22 · read 2026-10-08
  5. COLOMBIA INICIA LA CONSTRUCCIÓN DE SU PRIMERA FRAGATA: COTECMARCOTECMAR · published 2026-02-04 · read 2026-10-20
  6. Noticias en COTECMARCOTECMAR · read 2026-10-20
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