For the first time in a long while, Chilean shipbuilding has a fixed point on the horizon. In Talcahuano, where ASMAR tends to mix tradition with the eternal urgency of modernizing, the Escotillón IV project of the Chilean Navy begins to take shape not in speeches, but in actual steel. And that steel has a name: “Magallanes,” the first multipurpose vessel of a series that seeks something more ambitious than replacing aging platforms. It seeks to establish continuity and standardization of a national platform for logistical, humanitarian tasks, personnel transport, and operations in remote areas.
Simply put, a “multipurpose backbone” designed and built at home.
The key lies in the nuance: it is not acquiring, it is producing, and doing so with a rhythm that allows the shipyard to sustain technological and human capabilities. Escotillón IV is the base upon which the Navy projects a greater leap: its own frigates toward the 2030s. But to get there, Chile must demonstrate that it can sustain long industrial processes without political or budgetary interruptions.
During the REDES meeting of ASEM Biobío, Pablo Herrmann Sivers, head of the subcontracting department of ASMAR Talcahuano, dropped the piece of information many were waiting for: the “Magallanes” is practically ready to touch the water. A milestone that will be the photo of the first semester of 2026.
What is interesting is not only the launching, but what it reveals: while this first vessel advances toward its final stage of construction on the slipway, the first plate of the second was already cut in 2025. A sign that ASMAR decided to break the old problem of “productive valleys” and push fronts in parallel.
The other half of the project: building an ecosystem
Escotillón IV is moving something that is hard to see in official statements, but that in practice is critical. The coordination with SMEs of Biobío, especially those with solutions in sustainability and waste management, an area where ASMAR plans to implement a new comprehensive plan in 2026.
If Chile wants to sustain increasingly complex programs —and eventually design and assemble frigates— a strong shipyard is not enough. An active regional ecosystem is needed, with suppliers capable of responding quickly, innovating, and growing alongside the programs.
When the “Magallanes” enters the water it will not be just a naval act. It will be a political barometer.
If the complete series —four units— is built without interruptions, Chile could close a full naval industrial cycle for the first time in decades. The presence of authorities at the plate-cutting milestones confirms support, yes, but the real test will be maintaining that backing across several budgets and several governments.
The “Magallanes” will not be remembered only for its capabilities, but for what it enables, since for the Navy, it means concrete modernization and reduction of external dependence.
For its part, for ASMAR, it is an industrial leap that can turn it into a regional actor. And for the country, it is the proof that defense can generate dual-use capacities useful in emergencies, logistics, and sovereignty operations.
The “Magallanes” will reach the water in 2026. That will be the visible start, but what will truly be decisive will come afterward: integrating systems, delivering the unit, advancing with its sisters, and making the leap toward greater projects.
*Translated by Constanza Matteo
You may also like: The United Kingdom continues positioning its Type 31 as the future multirole frigate of the Chilean Navy
