Río Santiago Shipyard
| File:Astillero rio santiago logo.png | |
 View of the shipyard from the Santiago River. | |
| Industry | Ship transport, Rail transport |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1953 in Ensenada |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Merchant vessels, Warships, Rolling stock |
| Owner | Government of Buenos Aires Province |
Number of employees | 3,600 (2014) |
| Divisions | Industrial Transport Merchancy |
| Website | astillero.gba.gov.ar |
The Río Santiago Shipyard ranks among the principal shipbuilding establishments in Latin America and is situated on the Santiago River in Ensenada, Buenos Aires Province. This facility is owned by the Buenos Aires Provincial Government and was founded in 1953. It has historically supported naval, industrial, and railway industries. During its heyday, the shipyard operated with a workforce of 8,000 employees working two shifts; by 2008, the number of personnel had decreased to roughly 2,700.
One of its most distinguished achievements is the construction of the Fragata Libertad in 1962. Notably, in 1966 this sailing vessel set a world record for speed while crossing the North Atlantic, completing the journey from Cape Race, Canada to a line between Dublin and Liverpool in 8 days and 12 hours.
Organization
The Technical Management team oversees several departments responsible for critical functions including ship outfitting, armament systems, electrical installations, waterway design, machinery operations, structural engineering, and foundational project planning. A specialized Quality Control Department guarantees adherence to International Standards and Classification Societies.
History
Operations at the Río Santiago Shipyard commenced on June 15, 1953, following Decree No. 10.627 which established it as part of "Astilleros y Fábricas Navales del Estado (AFNE)." This entity comprised both "Astillero Río Santiago (ARS)" and "Fábrica Naval de Explosivos Azul (FANAZUL)," operating under naval authority.
At its inception, the shipyard included various workshops dedicated to producing vital components such as machine shops for bolt manufacturing and adjustments, iron and copper foundries, electronics assembly areas, carpentry workshops, and painting facilities.
The shipyard experienced consistent expansion during its formative years. In 1969, it transitioned its legal structure to a State Anonymous Society. Between 1970 and 1976, contracts were secured to construct five cargo ships each weighing 9,000 tons for Empresa Líneas Marítimas Argentinas (ELMA), two tankers of 60,000 tons for YPF, two bulk carriers with a displacement of 23,700 tons, as well as four cargo vessels weighing 14,450 tons each for ELMA.
Additionally, the facility produced diesel engines and cranes both for its own ships and other shipyards; manufactured locomotives for Ferrocarriles Argentinos; fabricated hydraulic turbine components; produced nuclear parts under license from Atomic Energy of Canada; and built railroad bogies licensed from American Steel Foundry.
By the mid-1970s, direct employment at the shipyard reached approximately 5,500 workers with an additional near 3,000 personnel employed by client companies contributing to production.
As Argentina’s largest industrial complex at that time, the shipyard confronted its most severe crisis during the 1990s amid threats of privatization. Ultimately, it remained under provincial control as part of Buenos Aires Province.
In the 21st century
Following several shifts in leadership, the Rio Santiago Shipyard returned to operating at full capacity for the first time in twenty years. After a 2005 visit from Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, Argentina and Venezuela entered into agreements to produce eight oil tankers for PDVSA. The initial construction commenced on the first section of the "Eva Perón," one of two platforms destined for PDVSA.<ref> Nevertheless, by 2015 only a single tanker had been completed, with none officially commissioned.<ref>
In March 2006, the shipyard launched the "Madrisa," a bulk carrier constructed for a German customer.<ref> Additionally, proposals were received to fabricate oil platforms that would require cooperation with the currently inactive Corrientes Shipyard, known for its offshore platform expertise in Thailand.
In September 2010, Rio Santiago entered into a preliminary agreement with Ukraine’s Chernomorsky Shipbuilding to acquire knowledge in building ice-class vessels.<ref>
By November 2015, the shipyard declared intentions to produce two small vessels for the Argentine Navy—the first naval ships built there in over three decades. The internally developed design, called LICA (Lancha de Instrucción de Cadetes de la Armada), was scheduled to begin construction in early 2016.<ref>
In August 2018, confronted with the threat of closure and numerous layoffs, employees organized protests in La Plata to safeguard their employment. The provincial authorities responded with police actions involving rubber bullets and tear gas, causing several injuries.<ref>
Location
Situated in Ensenada, Argentina along the banks of the Santiago River and directly opposite the Escuela Naval Militar (Military Naval School), the Rio Santiago Shipyard covers an area of 229 hectares (around 55 acres), with approximately 100 hectares allocated to industrial activities. Its facilities are connected by more than five kilometers of tunnels containing electrical wiring, steam pipes, and compressed air conduits.
The site includes material storage zones and parking areas spanning 40,000 square meters of asphalt surface, while internal roadways cover an additional 70,000 square meters. The complex also features seven kilometers of internal railway tracks linked to Ensenada’s city rail line.
Warships
- Two units of Azopardo class frigates
- Patrol vessels: ARA King and ARA Murature
- Landing ship: B.D.T. ARA Cabo San Antonio
- Type 42 destroyer: ARA Santísima Trinidad
- Six MEKO 140 corvettes
Merchant Ships
- Multipurpose cargo ships
- Product tankers
- Container vessels
- Grain transport ships
Smaller vessels
- ARS LPA-720 fishing boats (crew of two)
- Naval Service patrol boats (crew of six)
- Hydrographic research ship ARA Cormorán (1964)
Sail training ship
The frigate ARA Libertad (Q-2), which represents the shipyard’s third constructed vessel, was delivered to the Argentine Navy in 1962 and entered service in 1963. It has circumnavigated the globe multiple times, accumulating roughly 17 years underway and providing training to nearly 11,000 naval cadets.