Ecuadorian shipyard Astilleros Navales Ecuatorianos (ASTINAVE) on 10 November announced it is to construct three passenger boats for the Panama Canal Authority, as the yard continues expanding its clientele.

For Panama ASTINAVE is to construct vessels that are 16 m long, have 23 kt maximum speed, and are to be delivered in March 2017. This is the first time the company has sold platforms to Panama, ASTINAVE said.

Additionally, the yard on 8 November delivered LT-AST-2206 aluminium vessels Esmeralda and Verónica to Ecuador’s state-owned Empresa Pública Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana (EP FLOPEC) crude oil and petroleum tanker company in a USD5 million deal.