National and provincial authorities participated this Thursday in the act that began the construction of the new Integrated Naval Base in the Fuegian city of Ushuaia, which seeks to expand and develop new logistics capabilities for Argentina in Antarctica and the South Atlantic.
Its strategic geographical location will allow it to provide logistics and assistance services to other countries, and complements the initiative of the Antarctic Logistics Pole that is advancing in Tierra del Fuego.
The announcement made in the parade ground of the Infantry Battalion 4, of Ushuaia, was made by the Minister of Defense, Jorge Taianawho stated that “Today something is underway here for a long time, which is the transformation of the historic Navy base in Ushuaia to start building the future integrated naval base, which is not just a change of location or a cosmetic improvement, it is a decision with profound political and economic consequences for the entire region”.
Taiana maintained that “In the look towards the south that the President (Alberto Fernández) gave to the defense directive promulgated last year, this integrated naval base represents a decisive aspect due to its usefulness in further developing our sovereign presence in Antarctica”.
“After a year in which the precautionary measures due to the pandemic limited what we could do, this summer we faced transcendental projects with more personnel, more resources and more energy, such as the recovery of the Petrel base, which after the fire that affected it a few years ago. 50 years it will once again be a permanent base that when it recovers its runways and its dock will represent a new paradigm of Antarctic logistics”he added.
“This integrated naval base is also an example of the centrality that the state gives to this province in the perspective of a bicontinental country; that is why we also understand that it is necessary to strengthen the presence of the armed forces in Tierra del Fuego, adding to the historical presence of the Navy, the Army and the Air Force”he added.
The minister clarified that “In the coordination between the national and provincial governments there are still several points to be resolved regarding the articulation of this new base with the future Antarctic Logistics Pole, but what we all have absolutely clear is that no difference is going to be a reason for the works that are already underway are stopped or delayed”.
The official maintained that “This project is going to be carried out with its own resources and it is going to require several stages in the long term. This same year the soil studies necessary for the works are going to begin, the extension of services is going to be addressed so that they reach up to the future wharf and two industrial warehouses built by the Tandanor shipyard are going to be assembled, which will allow the work to be sustained during the winter months, which in this province are characterized by low temperatures and few daylight hours”.
“Others will be the ones to inaugurate this new integrated naval base, but the conviction of the need for a sovereign presence in the South Atlantic must remain firm because that is the best guarantee for our children and the best tribute to our heroes of the Falklands”Taiana completed.
The director of Real Estate, Reserves and Infrastructure of the Ministry of Defense, Paul Serenelliaffirmed in dialogue with Télam that “The future integrated naval base comes to account for the specific needs of the operation of the armed forces in Tierra del Fuego, the dock that the Navy operates today is not large enough to house the ships that our country uses in the South Atlantic as the icebreaker ‘Almirante Irízar’, in addition, access to services is not the most suitable for ships either”.
“The project of the new base is a long-term planning in several stages, now we are beginning the soil studies, the connection of services and the assembly of two warehouses that function as a workshop, only later will the first stage begin. which provides for the construction of a pier one kilometer long and thirty meters wide with a depth of 10 meters so that all the ships that Argentina uses in the area can operate there, including the submarines that in the future the Navy”he detailed.
The official added that “The second stage includes the transfer of the infrastructure and services of the current base to its new location, while when this is finished, the third stage will have to be considered, which will be the construction of all the houses that are required for the personnel”.
“Although this is a long-term project, being able to reach the first stage of its development would already have an enormously positive impact on Argentina’s naval operations in the South Atlantic”Serenelli concluded.
The President of Tandanor, Miguel Tudinotold Télam that “The shipyard is already working on the design of the two industrial buildings that it is going to build for this project and that are going to allow the work to be sustained beyond the climatic conditions, the objective is that they can be built this year and that they be transferred here from Buenos Aires by the transport ship ‘Canal Beagle'”.
The event ended with the discovery of a plaque at the site of the foundation stone of the work, off the coast of the Fuegian city of Ushuaia.
The governor of Tierra del Fuego also participated in the activity, Gustavo Melella; the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, lieutenant general Juan Martin Paleo; the head of the Argentine Navy, Admiral Julius Guard; the head of the Argentine Army, Major General Olegario Pereda; Joint Antarctic Commander, Brigadier General Edgar Calandin; Secretary for Strategy and Military Affairs, Sergio Rossi; the Undersecretary of Operational Planning and Logistics Service for Defense, Lucia Kersoul; and the president of the Tandanor state shipyard, Miguel Tudinoamong other officials.
