A new dredger, the DRM-5 “Paraguay”, has arrived in the city of Pilar from Nueva Palmira following its donation by the Government of Japan. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) facilitated the donation. Consequently, the vessel’s official flag-raising ceremony will be a central event during the upcoming state visit of Crown Prince Fumihito of Japan.
Julio César Vera Cáceres, President of the National Navigation and Ports Administration (ANNP), confirmed the details in a recent interview with State Media. He announced that Prince Fumihito, the younger brother of the current Emperor Naruhito, is scheduled to arrive in Paraguay on 19 August. The flag-raising for the new dredger will be held on the same day, preceding an official handicraft event at the Port of Asunción. Furthermore, President Santiago Peña is expected to attend the ceremony.
Official ceremony and training programme
In preparation for the vessel’s deployment, a comprehensive training programme has commenced. The course involves 31 participants, comprising a diverse group of personnel. This includes 14 members of the Paraguayan Navy, various port staff from the ANNP, and five representatives from the River Shipowners Association. Technicians from Japan conduct the specialised training.
A dedicated team from both organisations has already travelled to Pilar and will remain there for the entire week to facilitate this initial phase of the preparation process.
Vessel specifications and capabilities
Participants will undertake an intensive course to familiarise themselves with the state-of-the-art vessel. The DRM-5 “Paraguay” is fully automated and can achieve speeds of up to 5 knots. The vessel is anticipated to arrive in Asunción around 13 or 14 August, where it will then remain docked at the port. Additionally, the official delivery and reception agreement for the dredger will be signed on Friday. Japan will be represented by JICA and an official from the company that constructed the vessel.
The ANNP President also detailed that the dredger will travel to Asunción with its own crew. He clarified the vessel’s operational design; it has a crew capacity of 13 people but does not feature cabins or a dining area, as it is built exclusively for work. Therefore, it will operate alongside tugboats and auxiliary vessels, known as mulitas (small support boats), which transport the necessary pipes. The tugboats will provide the accommodation and dining facilities for the crew.
A significant boost to river infrastructure
The capabilities of the new dredger represent a substantial upgrade for Paraguay’s river management. Vera Cáceres highlighted its impressive power in comparison to existing equipment.
“The vessel is large, modern, and has a suction capacity of 1,500 cubic metres per hour, while dredgers normally used in this area of the country operate with capacities between 350 and 400 cubic metres per hour. This is a higher-capacity dredger, but it is specifically designed for sediments, not rocks,” Vera Cáceres explained.
The ANNP president emphasised that the institution will maintain readiness to deploy the dredger wherever it is needed along the country’s waterways. This new addition brings the total number of operational dredgers under ANNP management to three. The institution previously had four such vessels, but two were lost over time. One sank, while another sustained irreparable damage. However, the two remaining dredgers were successfully restored and are now fully operational.
Clarified roles in national dredging operations
Vera Cáceres also took the opportunity to clarify the institutional responsibilities for river dredging in the country. He explained that although the ANNP is the only body legally responsible for these operations, special authorisation was granted to the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC). This authorisation allows the MOPC to conduct bidding processes and finance contracts related to essential dredging works.
Despite this arrangement, the ANNP retains crucial responsibilities in the process. The administration is tasked with preparing the executive and detailed technical projects for any required interventions. Moreover, the ANNP is responsible for the supervision and ongoing monitoring of the execution of these works. The arrival of the DRM-5 “Paraguay” therefore represents a major step in reinforcing Paraguay’s river infrastructure, improving navigation conditions, and strengthening the long-standing ties of cooperation between Paraguay and Japan.
Also read: A Landlocked Country’s Mightiest Warship: This Is The Story Of The “Paraguay” Gunboat.
