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Golfo de Tribugá - LCU / BDA Mk II

A total of eight ARC 'Golfo de Tribugá' class Buque de Desembarco Anfibio BDA Mk IIs are required to replace a number of US-built LCU 1466-class ships. The LCUs will be used for both military and civilian logistics support activities along Colombia's vast internal waterways as well as its coastal areas. The Mk IIs have a length of 45.8 m, a beam of 11 m, a draft of 1.5 m, and a full load displacement of 626 tonnes. They are powered by twin Schottel SPJ 82 RD propulsors driven by two CAT C18 ACER diesels. Top speed is 12 kt, while range is at least 1,500 n miles. They are designed for a complement of 15. In addition, another 36 personnel can be embarked, while a small medical facility can accommodate four patients. Payload capacity is 200 tonnes. Typically, the Mk IIs can embark two 13 m LPR-type riverine patrol boats, five smaller boats, four Urutu armored cars, or up to 250 troops on the open deck under shelters.

The Colombian Navy commissioned a new landing craft utility (LCU) vessel, ARC Golfo de Urabá (pennant number 241), at its ARC Bolivar base in Cartagena. COTECMAR delivered lead LCU Golfo de Tribugá (pennant number 240) in April 2014. Golfo de Tribugá serves with the Colombian Navy's Pacific Naval Force. COTECMAR, which refers to the LCUs as the Buque Desembarco Anfibia (BDA) Mk II, is also building two more under a 2014 follow-on contract for three ships. The contract is slated for completion by October 2016. Golfo de Tribugá was built under a separate, earlier contract.

This was the first BDA - landing ship amphibious - built in Colombia for the care of emergencies, disasters, and logistical support in coastal and riparian. The ARC "Tribugá Gulf"; is the first ship of amphibious landings, designed and built in Colombia by the Corporation of science and technology for the development of the Naval industry - COTECMAR, in order to develop operations of humanitarian aid to the civilian population and logistical support to military bases on land, through transport of personnel , vehicles, machinery, foodstuffs, among others. This vessel has the capacity to transport up to 322 people and 210 tons of cargo. Likewise, possesses a ramp in the bow that allows the loading and unloading of equipment and heavy machinery in places of difficult access. For emergency care, the ship has a room of hospitalization, medical office, accommodations for relief team, compartment for storage of medicines and a platform that allows you to play as a Center for disasters control. the ARC Tribugá Gulf is capable of transporting up to 322 people and 210 tons of cargo.

On the dock La Pagoda located at the port of Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca, the military ceremony in which were put into operation ARC "Tribugá Gulf" was carried out at the National Navy. The ceremony of unpaved flag took place at 3:30 in the afternoon on, presided over by the Lord Minister of defence, Dr. Juan Carlos Pinzón and the Lord Commander of the National Navy, Admiral Hernando Wills Velez.

The first Commander of the ARC "Tribugá Gulf"; was Lieutenant de Navio Hugo Alberto table boat, with 12 years of service in the institution, had served in various positions on board units as the frigate ARC "Almirante Padilla";, the coast guard station in Uraba in Antioquia and river inspection Turbo; Similarly, he had been Commander of the whale coast guard station in la Guajira, Commander of the gunboat ARC "Leticia"; in Amazonas and Commander of the Oceanographic ship ARC "Quindio";. The Lieutenant de Navio Mesa, considered an honour, pride and a privilege to be the first Commander of this ship "this unit was built with the latest technology tools, which will be put at the disposal of the community in the Colombian Pacific, even in emergency situations; This new capability acquired by the Navy allows us to more efficiently reach coastal communities that require our presence and support".

The ARC ship "Tribugá Gulf";, arrived in the city of Buenaventura (Valle del Cauca) 30 April 2014, coming from Panama where he participated in an exhibition of its capabilities to the authorities of that country. The ship was christened baptized on 06 February 2014 in the city of Cartagena with the name ARC "Tribugá Gulf"; to exalt this Colombian geography place located in the Department of Chocó; the godmother of the new unit is the Lady María de el Pilar Lozano, wife of the Minister of national defence, Dr. Juan Carlos Pinzón.

The LCU joined the navy's Caribbean surface ship flotilla (Flotilla de Superficie del Caribe) on 10 June, under the operational control of the Caribbean Naval Force (Fuerza Naval del Caribe). Golfo de Urabá, launched on 08 May, was the second LCU to be designed and built by the navy-owned COTECMAR shipbuilding company. Golfo de Urabá features a number of improvements over Golfo de Tribugá , including additional food, water, and cold storage facilities to support a 60% greater operational endurance; 10% more deck area, achieved through repositioning the 8-tonne deck crane; and hard points for weapons mounts. Follow-on Mk IIs will receive incremental improvements based on operational feedback, according to COTECMAR's head Rear Admiral Jorge Enrique Carreño.