The Ministry of Defense of Ecuador reported that, on January 2, the KCG 3001 patrol vessel, type Tae Pyung Yangacquired from the South Korean Coast Guard to reinforce the Ecuadorian Navy.
The vessel was purchased in 2024 and began operating under the name MR 56 Licorice. With 4,400 tons of total displacement, the ship becomes Ecuador’s largest naval asset in terms of tonnage, expanding the force’s operational capacity in the maritime environment.
O KCG 3001 It originally entered service in 1994 as the lead ship in a series of 13 units, designed for ocean patrol, maritime surveillance and extended naval presence missions. According to the Ministry of Defense, its incorporation aims to strengthen control of maritime areas and support security operations on the coast and in the country’s exclusive economic zone.
The arrival of the MR 56 Jambeli represents a relevant reinforcement for the Ecuadorian naval structure, especially in patrol and monitoring missions in the Pacific.
Source and images: Ministry of Defense of Ecuador. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
