PSG 71 Boatswain Micalvi - Patrullero Clase "Taitao"

The PSG 71 Boatswain Micalvi was built by Astilleros y Maestranzas de la Armada, in the city of Talcahuano, within the so-called "TAITAO" project, being the first of its kind to enter service, he was baptized on September 12, 1992 as PSG 71 "Boatswain Micalvi", being her godmother the Aylwin Ms. Leonor OYARZÚN, wife of the President of the Republic at the time. Its first Commander was captain of Corbeta Mr. Fernando BLANCO Beckett. It entered service on 03 March 2003, being destined to the third Naval zone, with port based in the city of Puerto Williams where he served for 11 years. In the year 2003 and by resolution of the high Naval command is redestinado Chiloé Naval district, with base in the city of Puerto Montt port, port to which arrived in February of that year.

A special mention deserves its participation, between the months of July to September 2004, in exercises Unitas XLV and PANAMAX that were carried out in Peru and Panama respectively, where the unit showed high strength and excellent training operation capacity in totally different waters to which it operates normally. It performs roles such as patrolling, surveillance, control coastal and inland waters, maintenance of maritime signalling, logi­stico support to task and isolated areas and aquatic pollution fighting units. Its name is in honor to the MICALVI Cotramaestre, who served the institution from 03 November 1877 to September 13, 1880. He participated in the Naval Battle of Iquique aboard the Corvette "esmeralda" fighting the Peruvian monitor "Huáscar", during the war of the Pacific.

The Ortiz was built in Asmar (T) General Service in service on December 15, 1993 according to resolution C.J.A. Res. No. 4520/C-5 of 13 December 1993. The TAITAO class ship, launched on July 23, 1993 with the name of "Boatswain Ortiz", being her godmother the Madam of the Minister of Defensa Doña María Antonieta Olmedo de Rojas to water. The official delivery of the ship to the institution was on December 15 of the same year and was chaired by Lord Commander in Chief of the army of Chile, Admiral Don Jorge Martí­Nez Busch.

The patrol vessel Ortiz has for main roles patrolling of the jurisdictional area and auxiliary transport. After completing a period of training in the southern part of the country, specifically in the area of the channel, for a period of three months in which sailed 7 thousand 900 miles, the unit was assigned to the 4th Naval zone, taking as a base port of Arica, where he was received by Marí­timo Governor and Naval Commander of Arica, Navi­o Don Gerardo Conejeros of Captain Abienzo.

On September 17, 1994 he received its flag of combat, which was donated by the caballeri­a shielded No. 9 "vencedor" Regiment. Since then the ship has successfully complied with all the committees of training, patrolling and transportation that have been assigned to you, standing out for its features of versatility and maneuverability. Within the commissions that made the unit, stands the one made abroad between 05 July and 20 August 1996, visiting Ecuador, Honduras and Colombia; sailing a total of 2,245 miles. Beginning January 15, 1999, the PSG "Boatswain Ortiz" changed her base port of Iquique where he works currently as a support ship in the Northern Misileras command by.

The patrol vessel general service "Pilot Rorqual", sixth project "TAITAO" unit, was officially delivered to the Navy of Chile on day 04 of September 1996, in the shipyards of ASMAR Talcahuano, being assigned to the third Naval zone. Her home port was Punta Arenas until the year 2003, from 01 January 2004 Puerto Williams became her new base, calling this on 21 January 2004. This unit has a number of aspects thought to create a vessel with capacity to operate in the waters of the territorial sea, performing maritime frameworks, control of fishing activities, safeguarding human life at sea and subsidiarily control and combating oil spills. For the fulfillment of the tasks that the institution has, the ship has a crew consisting of 4 officers and 22 staff of seafarers.

One of the features of this unit is the not to contaminate the ocean, for this, all the organic waste produced by the ship are converted into non-polluting water. On the other hand, oil and water from the fuel and machinery going to a bilge. There are separated, the water is pumped to the side while the oil is stored in special tanks on board which are subsequently disposed of following the international regulations. The day, May 21, 1997, the Unit received his battle flag by the Provincial governorate of Ultima Esperanza, in a civic-military ceremony held on board.

This ship is the third to bear the name of the brave English marine George Sibbald, who by the hazards of life above Chile in the second half of the 19th century, nationalised Chile in 1875 and joining the Navy of Chile as master of signals.

At the service of the Navy, Rorqual had an outstanding work as an instructor in the signal area and subsequently in the artilleri­a area; However the highlight of his career was his notable participation in the war of the Pacific embarked on the Squadron, specifically in the armoured "Blanco Encalada", participating in the battle of Angamos. As recognition of his merits, distinguished service in the war of the Pacific and in the field of instruction, command vests to Sergeant George Sibbald with the rank of third pilot in 1887. The day 21 February 1902 he died in Valparaiso, while in active service in the grade of first pilot. The Navy of Chile, in honor to this noble marine, baptized as "Pilot Rorqual" a tug which arrived in Chile in 1908 and who wrecked the year 1914 between Coquimbo and Tongoy. Later this name was given to a second tug of Englishman, participating in the first world war. He served between 1921 and 1965.

Patrol Service General construi­do in Astilleros y maestranzas of the Navy in Talcahuano, within the Taitao project. Incorporated into service on August 29, 1996, according to resolution C.J.A. No. 4520/8 of 30 June 1996, he was assigned to the Chiloé Naval district, with base in the city of Valdivia port. Subsequently by resolution of the Naval high command is moved its port base to the city of Puerto Montt from where it operates to date.

She was converted to serve as a patrol of hydrographic service aimed at supporting hydrographic activity. Is equipped with the instruments listed below and which makes it the most modern platform in South America: simultaneous two echosounder multibeam, one to be used at depths less than 200 m and with a reception capacity of 1440 beams by sweep and another for deep waters between 200 and 1200 meters with capacity of up to 320 reception make sweeping; positioner DGPS satellite; a directional sounder which locates in a timely manner any submarine danger that undermines the integrity of the ship; a sounder monohaz; an acoustic Profiler; a sonar of lateral search; one dredge marine for samples of background and equipment that allows making a direct link with the satellite of tide stations.

Hydrographic work also has the support of a hydrographic boat to carry out work in those areas that can not be made to the ship by the low depth of the waters. It provides services fulfilling roles such as hydrographic and oceanographic work, patrol, surveillance and control coastal and inland waters, maintenance to the maritime signalling, logistic support to task and isolated areas and aquatic pollution fighting units.