The Ministry of Defense of Ecuador announced that on January 2, the patrol ship KCG 3001, type Tae Pyung Yangarrived in the country. The building was acquired from the South Korean Coast Guard in order to strengthen the Ecuadorian Navy.
The ship was purchased in 2024 and entered service under the designation MR 56 Licorice. With a total displacement of 4,400 tonnes, it becomes Ecuador’s largest warship in terms of tonnage, expanding the force’s operational capabilities in the maritime domain.
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The KCG 3001 initially entered service in 1994 as the lead ship of a total of 13 units. It was designed for ocean patrol, maritime surveillance and extended naval presence missions. According to the Ministry of Defense, its integration aims to strengthen control of maritime zones and support for security operations along the coastline and in the country’s exclusive economic zone.

The arrival of the MR 56 Jambeli represents an important strengthening of the Ecuadorian naval structure, particularly for patrol and surveillance 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.
