BAP Carrasco (BOP-171)

The BAP Carrasco is an oceanographic research vessel of the Peruvian Navy built in 2016 by Freire Shipyard. Its purpose is to perform oceanographic research cruises both, in Peruvian waters and in the Antarctica, in order to fulfil Peru’s commitment under the Antarctic Treaty. The ship has polar capability and it is classified with PC7 notation.

History
The BAP Carrasco was acquired by the Peruvian government to improve its research activities in Peruvian territorial waters and in Antarctica, where Peru operates the Machu Picchu Base.

On 2014 the Peruvian Navy called for an international tender to award the construction of an oceanographic vessel with polar capabilities, emerging the Spaniard shipyard Freire as the winner. The contract was signed later on December 12, 2014.

On January 28, 2016 the ship was designated by Peruvian government as "BAP Carrasco (BOP-171)". It is named for Eduardo Carrasco Toro, Main Cosmographer of the Viceroyalty of Peru. On May 7, 2016 the vessel was launched in an official ceremony attended by Peruvian president Ollanta Humala, the Minister of Defense and the General Commander of the Navy.

Ths ship was delivered by the Freire shipyard to the Peruvian Navy on March 22, 2017, in Vigo (Spain). On the same day it was commissioned in an official flag raising ceremony held on its deck and attended by James Thornberry Schiantarelli, a high ranked official of the Peruvian Navy, and Jose Antonio García Belaunde, Peruvian ambassador to Spain, among other authorities.

On May 3, 2017 the Carrasco arrived to its base in Callao port and was assigned to serve on Hidrography and Navigation Agency of the Peruvian Navy in a ceremony attended by Peruvian president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. It was first deployed on 27 June 2017, participating in a 21 day mission.

Characteristics
The BAP Carrasco is 95.3 m long, weighs 5,000 tonnes, has a top speed of 16,5 kt, it is powered by Caterpillar/General Electric diesel electric engines, and it can stay at sea for up to 51 days. The vessel is equipped with a meteorological office, six laboratories for different research purposes, a helicopter pad and a bathymetry transducer system fitted on the flat bottom of the hull. It generates an array of acoustic beams with up to 10,000 metres of reach below the vessel to map the sea floor and feeds the data back to the vessel in realtime. The vessel will also carry a Falcon DR remotely operated vehicle (ROV), which can reach depths of up to 1,000 m, and two smaller, torpedo-shaped submarine vehicles by AUV Kongsberg.

According to its PC7 Polar Class notation, the ship is able to keep its presence in Antarctica for long periods, allowing Peruvian scientists to perform more significant and long lasting researches, as well as giving a better support to Peruvian Antarctic Machu Picchu Base.