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BAP Unión

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Not to be confused with its namesake, BAP Unión (1865).
BAP Unión or BAP United (BEV-161)
History
Peru
NameBAP Unión or BAP United
NamesakeUnión (1865)
Ordered23 December 2010
BuilderSIMA, Callao, Peru
Laid down8 December 2012[1]
Launched22 December 2014[2]
Commissioned27 January 2016[3][4]
Identification
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
TypeBarque
Displacement3,200 t[5][6]
Length115.50 m (378 ft 11 in)[5][7][8]
Beam13.5 m (44 ft 3 in)[8]
Draft6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
PropulsionCaterpillar 3516H engine,[9] a BERG propeller, a Rolls-Royce maneuvering propeller and a Reintjes LAF-863L gearbox
Sail planFour-masted barque; 34 sails, total sail area of 3,402 m² (36,620 sq. ft.)[11]
Speed12 knots (22 km/h)[10]

BAP Unión (BEV-161) is a training ship of the Peruvian Navy[12] built in 2012–2015 by Shipyard Marine Industrial Services of Peru, known as SIMA.[13] It is a four-masted, steel-hulled, class "A" barque,[14] composed of 38 steel modules.[8] It has a total length (including bowsprit) of 115.50 m (378 ft 11 in);[5][7][8] a beam of 13.50 m (44 ft 3 in);[8] a draft of 6.50 m (21 ft 4 in); an air draft of 53.50 m (175 ft 6 in); a displacement of 3,200 tonnes;[5][6] a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h) and a crew of 250 officers and trainees.[8] The ship's name honors[15] a Peruvian corvette that took part in the first stage of the 1879–1883 War of the Pacific as part of a naval squadron under the command of Miguel Grau, a hero of the Peruvian Navy.[16]

Like other similar ships, Unión has been conceived not only for training purposes, but also to be a sailing ambassador for its home country.[17] Due to its features and dimensions, it has been considered (as of the date it was commissioned) the largest sail vessel in Latin America.[7][18][19]

History

[edit]
Under construction in dry dock at SIMA

For a long time, the Peruvian Navy desired a training ship for instruction of its cadets. Accordingly, the Peruvian government enacted 1985 Law N° 24094,[20] which declared as a public necessity the navy having this kind of ship. However, due to the economic crisis of debt and hyper-inflation Peru suffered at the end of the 1980s,[21] and later for public spending restraints, the project was postponed.

Eventually, in 2010 the project was approved and the construction was authorized.[22] In 2012 the Peruvian government announced its decision to order the ship's construction to the Shipyard Marine Industrial Services of Peru, known as SIMA; in cooperation with the Government of Spain,[23] through the contractors Cypsa Ingenieros Navales and Navantia, which were responsible for the ship's structural design.[24][25] The government named the ship Union to honor a Peruvian corvette that took part in the first stage of the 1879–1883 War of the Pacific as part of a naval squadron under the command of Miguel Grau, a hero of the Peruvian Navy.[16] On December 8, 2012 Unión's construction began with a keel laying ceremony in the presence of Peruvian president Ollanta Humala.[26] The hull was finished two years later and the ship was launched on December 22, 2014.[27]

In June 2015, the ship received its masts and propeller; and the interior fitout began in charge of contractors Acopafi and MO Contract. Also, according to an agreement between SIMA and Navantia, the ship was provided with an "Integrated Control System Platform, Navigation and Communications".[28][29]

Commissioning ceremony

While the ship was under construction, the Peruvian government arranged training for the future Unión's crew with the help of an instructor from the Spanish Navy[30] and by sending personnel to serve on training ships of other countries, such as the Mexican sailing ship ARM Cuauhtémoc.[31] Also, a Peruvian delegation was sent to take part in maintenance and repair works on Colombian sailing ship ARC Gloria.[32]

On January 27, 2016 BAP Unión was commissioned in an official flag raising ceremony held on its deck witnessed by the President Ollanta Humala, Jakke Valakivi, the Minister of Defense and Admiral Edmundo Deville, the Commander of the Navy.[3][33] Captain Gianfranco Polar Figari was named to be the first captain of the ship, who conducted the sea trials of the vessel in June 2016.[34]

BAP Unión's first training cruise abroad began on July 27, 2016.[35][36] The set sailing ceremony was attended by Pedro Cateriano, the President of the Council of Ministers, Jakke Valakivi, the Minister of Defense, Ana María Sanchez, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Admiral Edmundo Deville, the Commander of the Navy, among other authorities.[37]

As a sailing ambassador promoting the peruvian nation brand,[38] since 2020 the ship flies a sail with the Peru brand logo[39] and visits national and international ports providing information about peruvian flagship products like pisco, asparagus, tangerines, paprika, anchovies, among others; as well as Peruvian tourist destinations.[40]

Characteristics

[edit]
BAP Unión in Callao, Perú
Figurehead
Escutcheon

Although the main purpose of Unión is to serve as a training ship for the Peruvian Navy, it has also been conceived to be a sailing ambassador for her home country.[17] Due to its features and dimensions, it has been considered (as of the date it was commissioned) the largest sail vessel in Latin America.

Specifications

[edit]

BAP Unión is a four-masted barque with a hull composed of 38 steel modules.[41] It has a total length (including bowsprit) of 115.50 m (378 ft 11 in);[5][7] a beam of 13.50 m (44 ft 3 in); a draft of 6.50 m (21 ft 4 in); an air draft of 53.50 m (175 ft 6 in); a displacement of 3,200 tonnes;[5][6] a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h)[10] and a crew of 250 officers and trainees.[8]

The ship's propulsion is supported by a diesel Caterpillar 3516H engine,[9] a BERG propeller, a Rolls-Royce maneuvering propeller and a Reintjes LAF-863L gearbox.[42] Its sail rig is composed of 34 sails from sailmaking company Wienecke, arranged in bowsprit mast (5), foresail mast (9), mainmast (9), mizzenmast (8) and jiggermast (3), with a total sail area of approximately 3,402 m2 (36,620 sq ft).[11]

BAP Unión is also equipped with AZCUE pumps for different applications including: BT-IL45D4-F, BT-HM25D4, KL30S40, LN-VP-40-160, CA-50-3, CA-40-1, MO-11/20, MO-19/20.[43]

Figurehead

[edit]

The ship's figurehead was made of bronze by the Peruvian sculptor Pilar Martínez Woodman, and it features several symbols of the Inca culture that previously existed in what is now Peru. As the main element it shows the image of the Sapa Inca (emperor) Tupac Yupanqui, known as "The Shining", who appears with his right arm raised to the image of the Inca sun god Inti; and who is placed over a representation of the archeological artefact known the twelve-angled stone. The Sapa Inca wears a checkered cloth and a cape that depicts ocean waves. He also wears two puma heads (the puma was a sacred animal in Inca culture)[44][45] as knee guards. His head is adorned with the mascapaicha (the Inca crown); and the shield he holds has the image of two rhombuses that represent the Inca Empire, known as Tawantinsuyu.[46][47]

Escutcheon

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Unión's escutcheon depicts the ship sailing over the ocean with the motto Cudendum Character Nautarum ("forging sailors' character") written in Latin below. It also contains an image of the sky with representations of the constellations Ursa minor and Crux. Over the escutcheon is the image of a bright sun and the legend "Marina de Guerra del Perú" (Navy of Peru) and below the name and number of the ship.[48]

Interior equipment for training

[edit]

Due to its use as a training ship, Unión's interior includes an auditorium, a library, a computing platform and classrooms to instruct cadets in astronomic navigation; meteorology; oceanography; hydrography; and naval operations and maneuvers.[7][49]

Voyages and trophies

[edit]
In the Port of Hamburg on 3 August 2017
Unión's crew with Peruvian defense minister in November 2017

Unión's first training cruise abroad was in July 2016.[35] The journey, which was officially named as "VIEX 2016", acronym in Spanish of "Viaje de Instrucción al Extranjero 2016" (Training Trip Abroad 2016), had a length of three months, in which the Unión crew visited the ports of Guayaquil (Ecuador), Cartagena (Colombia), San Juan (Puerto Rico), La Habana (Cuba), Miami (United States), Veracruz (Mexico) and Balboa (Panama), before to returning to its base in Callao.[50][51] The crew and navy cadets received instruction in naval exercises and maneuvers, as well as showing people abroad several elements of Peruvian culture.[52]

In 2017 the Peruvian Navy organized the "VIEX 2017". As a part of this journey, Unión participated in Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta, a series of races organized by Sail Training International, where the vessel won the race from Boston to Charlottetown (Gulf of Saint Lawrence) in Canada.[53][54] In this regatta the ship covered more than 450 nautical miles (830 km).[55] In July 2017 Unión docked in South Quay in Canary Wharf, London, on a trip to foster Anglo-Peruvian relations, the visit coinciding with Peru's national day on 28 July. The Peruvian Ambassador to the Court of St James's attended the vessel.[56]

In 2018 Unión participated in the event "Velas Latinoamérica 2018" (Sails Latin America), an international sailing regatta held every four years for ships from some Latin American countries. As part of this, the vessel visited several ports including Valparaiso, Guayaquil, Balboa, Curazao, Cartagena and Veracruz.[57][58]

In 2023 the Unión was awarded with the Boston Teapot Trophy for part of their voyage from Callao and Tahiti by sailing 1,261 nautical miles with an average speed of 10.71 kts between 21:00 GMT 05 July and 01:00 GMT 11 July 2023.The winning voyage took place during the start of the Peruvian Naval ship’s circumnavigation of the world.[59]

United States Postal Service honors BAP Unión

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Peru figured prominently in the history of the city of San Francisco with a strong relationship between San Francisco and Lima, Peru. The United States Postal Service issued a USPS Building Bridges Special Postal Cancellation Series on Feb 18, 2021 as part of a ceremony to celebrate The Bicentennial of the Independence of Peru.[60] commemorating the Opening Ceremony on Feb 18, 1939 of the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island, San Francisco, California, United States of America. The pictorial special postal cancellation features an illustration of the Peruvian Tall Ship BAP Unión, Treasure Island Museum logo and the official logo for Peru Bicentario 2021. The signatory image of Building Bridges, which marks all USPS Building Bridges Special Postal Cancellations, was created by Karen Earle Lile and Kendall Ross Bean in 1994 and first used by USPS in 1996.

The General Consul of Peru in San Francisco on Feb 19, 1939, Fernando Berckemeyer spoke at the Opening Ceremony of the Golden Gate International Exposition, also known as GGIE. As a commemoration of GGIE On Feb 18, 2021, the General Consul of Peru in San Francisco, Hernando Torres-Fernández, spoke at the USPS Building Bridges Special Cancellation of that ceremony, which was filmed for broadcast internationally on special event site.[61]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Infografía: así será el buque escuela que construye el Perú" (in Spanish). elcomercio.pe. December 9, 2012.
  2. ^ "Peru President attends Training Ship "Unión" launching event". andina.com.pe. December 22, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Peruvian Navy set to receive BAP Union [sic]". janes.com (cache). January 24, 2016. Archived from the original on January 26, 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ^ "Peruvian Navy, in collaboration with the Spanish Navy, has commissioned their new training ship Unión". navaltoday.com. January 31, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Peruvian Navy commissions new training ship". naval-technology.com. February 1, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c "Peru commissions training sail ship as local naval shipbuilding progresses". janes.com (cache). January 28, 2016. Archived from the original on January 30, 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ a b c d e "New Peruvian Training Ship Unión Largest of its Kind in Latin America". latinpost.com. January 28, 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Memoria Anual 2016" (PDF) (in Spanish). sima.com.pe. December 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Launch of the Sailing Ship "Union" [sic] of the Navy of Peru". defensa.com. December 23, 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Defense minister oversaw the latest advances in the construction of Sailing Ship "Unión"" (in Spanish). marina.mil.pe (cache). January 28, 2016. Archived from the original on January 30, 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ^ a b "Unión". sailonboard.com. June 12, 2017.
  12. ^ "Peru continues to rejuvenate its naval capability". janes.com (cache). December 8, 2014. Archived from the original on April 29, 2015.
  13. ^ "The Peruvian Navy takes charge". peruthisweek.com. October 5, 2015.
  14. ^ "Definition of a Tall Ship". Sail Training International.
  15. ^ "Latin America's largest sail training ship docks in Puerto Rico". efe.com. September 4, 2016.
  16. ^ a b "Peru pays tribute to hero Miguel Grau and Battle of Angamos". andina.com.pe. October 8, 2013.
  17. ^ a b "USIL present on Peru's first travelling embassy, the Peruvian Navy's BAP Unión training ship". USIL. June 13, 2017.
  18. ^ "The Pride of the Peruvian Navy: The BAP Unión". peruthisweek.com (cache). July 20, 2015. Archived from the original on August 16, 2015.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  19. ^ "Latin America's Training Vessels". cimsec.org. June 6, 2016.
  20. ^ "Law N° 24094" (PDF) (in Spanish). Peruvian Congress. February 8, 1985. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04.
  21. ^ "Peru's Debt Crisis and Subsequent Shock Economy". UCLA International Institute. February 4, 2005.
  22. ^ "La Marina de Guerra del Perú realizó la botadura del buque escuela a vela BAP "Unión"" (in Spanish). gacetamarinera.com.ar. July 1, 2015. Archived from the original on January 28, 2016.
  23. ^ "Government of Spain will cooperate in Peruvian training ship construction" (in Spanish). larepublica.pe (cache). November 12, 2012. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  24. ^ "Empresa de vigo diseña mayor buque escuela" (in Spanish). lavozdegalicia.es. November 7, 2013.
  25. ^ "Cypsa Ingenieros Navales". cypsa.com.es. July 17, 2017.
  26. ^ "Humala justifica retraso a ceremonia por medidas que va a tomar" (in Spanish). diariocorreo.pe. December 8, 2012.
  27. ^ "Ollanta Humala participó en lanzamiento a mar de buque escuela a vela Unión" (in Spanish). peru21.pe. December 23, 2014. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  28. ^ "Acuerdo de colaboración de NAVANTIA y el Astillero de la Marina de Guerra del Perú" (in Spanish). navantia.es. January 22, 2015.
  29. ^ "Navantia Signs Partnership Agreement with Navy of Peru Shipyard". defense-aerospace.com. January 22, 2015.
  30. ^ "España completa entrenamiento de la primera tripulación de buque escuela del Peru" (in Spanish). infodefensa.com. July 23, 2015.
  31. ^ "Buque escuela mexicano adiestra a oficiales de armada peruana" (in Spanish). andina.com.pe. June 30, 2015.
  32. ^ "Militares del Perú se instruyen en Colombia en el mantenimiento de buques a vela" (in Spanish). andina.com.pe. January 27, 2015.
  33. ^ "The Navy of Peru officially incorporates Sailing Ship BAP Union [sic]". defensa.com. January 21, 2016.
  34. ^ "Peruvian Navy training ship undergoes its sea tests" (in Spanish). infodefensa.com. June 22, 2016.
  35. ^ a b "Navy Training Ship "Union" Sets Sail from Callao". peruviantimes.com. July 28, 2016.
  36. ^ "The rise of the Latin American Shipyard". cimsec.org.com. August 22, 2016.
  37. ^ "El BAP Union de la Marina de Guerra del Perú zarpa en su primera travesía" (in Spanish). defensa.com. July 2016.
  38. ^ "Peru Brand to be promoted around the world thanks to BAP Union". andina.pe. July 30, 2019.
  39. ^ "Peru Brand sail to fly all along the American continent". peru.info. October 6, 2020.
  40. ^ "BAP Union to promote tourism and exports from Peru". andina.pe. October 30, 2020.
  41. ^ "Nota de Prensa Nro 086 – Bautizo y Lanzamiento BAP Unión" (in Spanish). marina.mil.pe (cache). December 22, 2014. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  42. ^ "Boletin 22 – Hardco Consulting cierra la venta transmisiones Reintjess para el Buque Escuela Unión" (in Spanish). hardcoconsulting.com. December 2, 2013.
  43. ^ "Boletin 23 – Buque Escuela Union estará equipado con bombas azcue" (in Spanish). hardcoconsulting.com. December 4, 2013.
  44. ^ "Religious significance in Machu Picchu". www.machupicchu.org. PeruForLess. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  45. ^ "La trilogía inca: El cóndor, el puma y la serpiente". www.lateinamerika-studien.at.pe (in Spanish). Lateinamerika-Studien Online. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  46. ^ "Túpac Yupanqui, el mascarón de proa del buque escuela vela Unión" (in Spanish). larepublica.pe. January 19, 2016. Archived from the original on January 21, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  47. ^ "Visita del Premier y el Ministro de Defensa al Buque Escuela a Vela" (in Spanish). sima.com.pe (cache). January 26, 2016. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  48. ^ "Marina de Guerra: La Unión y sus marinos vuelven a navegar en el Mar de Grau" (in Spanish). diariocorreo.pe. January 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-01-30. Retrieved 2016-08-12.
  49. ^ "President: Union BAP [sic] confirms Peruvian progress on navy engineering". andina.com.pe. January 27, 2016.
  50. ^ "Latin America's largest sail training ship docks in Puerto Rico" (in Spanish). foxnews.com (cache). September 4, 2016. Archived from the original on September 9, 2016.
  51. ^ "The Peruvian navy is here and glad to see us". miamiherald.com. September 17, 2016.
  52. ^ "El BAP Unión de la Marina de Guerra del Perú zarpa en su primera travesía" (in Spanish). defensa.com. July 27, 2016.
  53. ^ "The Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta Guest Ports Programme: Spectacular Canada Day Celebrations with the Tall Ships". sailonboard.com. July 2, 2017.
  54. ^ "The Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta Race Results". sailtraininginternational.org. July 2, 2017. Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
  55. ^ "Peru's BAP Union wins international tall ship race in Canada". andina.com. January 25, 2017.
  56. ^ "Peruvian tall ship Union arrives in South Quay for six days". wharf.co.uk. July 24, 2017.
  57. ^ "Sailing Latin America 2018". tallshipsnetwork.com. March 2018.
  58. ^ "The maritime spirit of 7 navies of Latin America took to Panamanian streets". panamatoday.com. July 8, 2018. Archived from the original on August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  59. ^ "BAP Union wins Boston Teapot Trophy". sailtraininginternational.org/. October 17, 2023.
  60. ^ Ruiz, Augustine. "USPS Celebrates Golden Gate International Exhibition Opening Day and The Bicentennial of Independence of Peru on Treasure Island: Special pictorial postmark commemorates the celebration". USPS California News. USPS. Retrieved 25 Feb 2021.
  61. ^ Francisco, San. "Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA Live: Feb 18-20, 2021". Event Website for Treasure Island Museum, City of San Francisco Treasure Island Development Authority, Treasure Island Yacht Club, Consul General of Peru in San Francisco, Pacific Inter-Club Yachting Association, USPS. ComTeams. Retrieved 25 Feb 2021.
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