At 4:30 p.m., the embarkation of the first crew of the new icebreaker AGB 46 – ‘Almirante Viel’ began, which this Wednesday, July 3, officially formed the list of Units of the Chile Navy.
The commissioning ceremony was held at Molo 500 of the Talcahuano Naval Base, being headed by the President of the Republic, Gabriel Boric, and was attended by the Minister of Defense Maya Fernández, former President Michelle Bachelet, national, regional civil and military authorities, as well as Naval High Command Officers and guests.
At the activity, the Director General of Navy Services, Vice Admiral Leonardo Chávez, addressed those present, highlighting that, “the construction of this ship, the largest and most modern ever built in Chile, is not only a technical and engineering achievement, but also a symbol of the state’s commitment to the development of our nation. It is the irrefutable proof that, when the will and the joint work come together, there is no challenge that we cannot overcome.”
Adding that, “as an institution we celebrate 135 years of naval engineering and a new anniversary of the school of haughty sailors, the icebreaker ‘Almirante Viel’, will raise the national flag for the first time. This ship is much more than a simple vessel, it is a tangible symbol of the technological development that we as a nation yearn for, and a fundamental tool to consolidate our presence in the Antarctic territory. With its unique capabilities, it will support and serve the scientific and logistical field, allowing a community of researchers and support personnel to develop their work in this vast and challenging territory,” concluded Vice Admiral Chávez.
Subsequently, he read the resolution of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy that incorporates the AGB-46 Icebreaker “Almirante Viel” into active service of the Navy of Chile; and the Supreme Decree that appoints the Commander of the Unit.
With this milestone, the Antarctica I project begins to close, which after almost 14 years of development allowed the construction of the first unit of this class in the country, in the Navy’s Shipyards and Workshops, ASMAR Talcahuano, supervised by the Directorate of Programs, Research and Development of the Chile Navy (DIPRIDA).
The President of the Republic, in his speech, stressed that, “the fact of having a ship capable of operating in Antarctic waters, practically without restrictions and reaching much further south than the old icebreaker, is tremendously significant for the sovereignty of Chile. This project, like large projects, began to be discussed more than 10 years ago. The first announcement was made by President Bachelet in 2014 and the construction and habilitation began in 2017, and have culminated in our period. These are the great challenges of the State, they transcend governments and set their sights on the future of the country. The new Almirante Viel will be able to operate, practically, without restrictions from November to April between the South Shetland Islands and Adelaide Island, until the slow 70 south, significantly expanding the area of operations that we had previously, and it will do so to the Alejandro I Island between November and March, thus expanding, in this way, our capacity for exploration, patrol and custody of the white continent. In addition to being a floating ambassador, it is a floating laboratory because it is capable of carrying more than 30 scientists on board and it will be at the forefront of that research and a messenger of our sovereignty and commitment to the white continent.”
For the Minister of Defense, Maya Fernández, she commented that “this is a historic day for Chile, and we are excited to be in the BioBio region, in the incorporation of the ship ‘Almirante Viel’; I had to be at the launch, and today, in this installment. And very well, as the President of the Republic said, this unit is our Antarctic ambassador, who will have our flag there permanently, so that our capacity is recognized. These are projects, which are State policies, which span many years, but which are relevant, if we think about development.”
A milestone of the National Continuous Shipbuilding Plan, which is one of the axes of the Commander in Chief of the Navy, Admiral Juan Andrés De La Maza, who after the ceremony detailed, “this is the largest Antarctic ship built in a shipyard in South America, 10,500 tons. Today we were able to deliver to him together with the minister, the draft, since he gave us a task on June 1, to carry out and deliver to him within the next three months the shipbuilding policy, derived from our plan, from this plan that we are promoting, because we believe that this should never stop again. Hopefully the launch stand will never be vacant again. This ship fell into the water on December 22, 2022. We immediately started laying the blocks for the first Hatch IV. We hope that this project will also be carried out soon. And why not dream big about the renewal of our squad units in the future. It is a task that I intend to leave ahead, to leave on track. I have practically 11 months left. It has been a little more than three years since I began the administration. On June 18, 2021. And these are the tasks that one has to leave walking and work until the last day.”
The icebreaker’s crew is made up of 59 seafarers and 13 officers, who will be under the command of Captain Juan Pablo Enríquez. Men and women who entered through the gate under the watchful eye of all those who were part of this historic moment, where the raising of the national flag and complete bunting was also carried out by the youngest Officer and the oldest Seafarers personnel that make up the new crew.
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