[Herald Economy reporter Jeon Hyun-geon] Ecuador’s navy has announced it will bring the multi-mission ship Jambeli — donated by the South Korean government — into port this May and commission it into active service.
Spanish-language outlet Infobae reported on the 3rd that after South Korea agreed to donate the BAE Jambeli in 2024, Korean shipyards upgraded the vessel to meet the Ecuadorian Navy’s operating environment and mission requirements. Final acceptance procedures are underway this year.
The 3,000-ton-class patrol ship KCG 3001, which retired last year after roughly 30 years guarding Korean waters, has been refitted as Ecuador’s new flagship and renamed Jambeli.
The vessel completed technical inspections in San Diego and is currently transiting to Ecuador.
The ship is 104.5 meters overall with a 15-meter beam, displaces about 3,000 tons, carries roughly 65 crew, and can conduct continuous offshore operations for up to 40 days. It can embark three high-speed rigid-inflatable boats (RIBs) and one medium helicopter, supporting missions that include maritime surveillance, long-range patrols, drug- and illegal-fishing interdiction, troop and cargo transport, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), search and rescue (SAR), and logistics support.
The Ecuadorian Navy describes the vessel as the largest surface combatant in its history and expects it to be a core asset for bolstering maritime capabilities against drug cartels and transnational crime. Its endurance and operational range are seen as key to improving responses to organized criminal activity across vast ocean areas.
The transfer is the largest single maritime asset South Korea has provided to Ecuador and is expected to serve as a benchmark for future defense cooperation between the two countries.
Officials also foresee expanding follow-on business tied to the ship’s multi-role capabilities.
Demand is expected for combat system and radar upgrades, as well as improvements to shipboard C4I and fire-control systems. Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) cooperation with Ecuador’s state shipyard Astinave is being considered as a likely model.
At the same time, opportunities may open for South Korean defense and shipbuilding firms to supply onboard equipment such as high-speed boats, helicopter parts, firefighting systems, communications gear, and optical devices.
The Korea Coast Guard previously transferred four 300-ton patrol vessels to developing countries, including Ecuador and Vietnam, in 2020 and 2024.
A Coast Guard official said, “Ships that might otherwise have been scrapped have been returned to service in several developing countries, helping promote K-defense and K-shipbuilding.”
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