"Chilean President Gabriel Boric visited the Magallanes Vessel in Bio Bio on Wednesday and attended the embarkation of the Sargento Aldea Vessel from the Talcahuano Naval Base, carrying material for strategic infrastructure projects. Footage shows President Boric, accompanied by Defence Minister Adriana Delpiano, receiving honours aboard the Magallanes vessel. Naval personnel can be seen waving from the departing Sargento Aldea as onlookers and supporters wave back from shore. The visit took place within the framework of the Escotillon IV Project of the Navy Shipyards and Workshops (Asmar) and Operation Sovereignty Base, an initiative that includes deploying the Sargento Aldea vessel to Antarctica. "Chile, Punta Arenas and the Chilean Navy are the most important Antarctic operators in the world and therefore today what we are doing [...] is building infrastructure that establishes, reaffirms and deepens Chile's sovereignty on the white continent," Boric stated. The Escotillon IV Project aims to build four multipurpose vessels for the Chilean Navy and strengthen national shipbuilding capabilities, logistical sovereignty and operational autonomy. Operation Sovereignty primarily seeks to expand and modernise the pier at Fildes Bay and the Teniente Marsh airfield, critical infrastructure for connectivity, supply, and the continuity of Chilean activities in Antarctica. "It is part of the strategy to strengthen defence companies, with the purpose that they contribute significantly to the development," the president explained. During the visit, the head of state also highlighted the progress of the national naval industry, emphasising the strengthening of local capabilities in defence, industry, academia and science, generating employment and knowledge. At the same time, construction began on the second vessel of the Escotillon IV project, with progress at 6 percent and launch projected for the first half of 2029. "