Colombia, Brazil jointly develop patrol vessel for Amazon river reconnaissance

Brazil and Colombia sign joint agreement. Photo: Cotecmar

07/14/2014  Defence IQ Press

Brazil and Colombia have agreed to jointly develop the Amazon Patrol Vessel (Buque Patrullero Amazónico - BPA), a specialist patrol vessel for the river Amazon to increase surveillance and reconnaissance throughout the region.

Colombia’s government-owned Cotecmar (the Corporation for Science and Technology Development of the Naval, Maritime and Fluvial Industry) and Brazil’s Projeto Navais Management Company Emgepron will lead the project in collaboration with Brazilian and Colombian Navy engineers.

Cotecmar explained in a briefing note that this agreement is the second stage of the international cooperation signed by the defence ministers of Colombia and Brazil during a bilateral meeting in Bogota. In the first stage, Brazil acquired four Cotecmar LPR-40 river patrol boats for $6.4 million, according to Iñigo Guevara.

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