Ecuadorian Navy Set to Receive Large Patrol Ship from South Korea

Photographs have emerged of the Ecuadorian Navy’s soon-to-be-operational large patrol ship BAE Jambelí (MP-56), now coated in naval grey and bearing the Ecuadorian flag markings, ahead of its formal handover.

The ship, previously operated by the South Korean Coast Guard, was transferred to Ecuador following a mid-2024 agreement between the two countries.

The BAE Jambelí is expected to enter service soon. Designed for surveillance, coastal defense, and search-and-rescue operations, the ship is viewed as a key asset in Ecuador’s broader naval modernization strategy. Once operational, it will help the Ecuadorian Navy secure its vast exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Pacific—a region increasingly challenged by illegal fishing, smuggling, and environmental degradation.

The ship's modern radar and surveillance systems, combined with its endurance and speed, are expected to improve the navy’s ability to patrol national waters and respond to maritime threats.