Following the creation of the First National Fleet in the years immediately after Independence, the Navy made a concerted effort to achieve its own shipbuilding and ship repair facilities, first in 1817 in Valparaíso and later in 1895 in Talcahuano. Over time, these installations have developed and consolidated, to become what is nowadays known as ASMAR Naval Shipyards.
The yard operates as an autonomous State-owned enterprise, with a legal structure dating back to 1960 and which currently has three industrial shipyards in Valparaíso, Talcahuano and Punta Arenas.
The largest plant is Talcahuano, where large scale new buildings, repairs and conversions are carried out for the Navy. Furthermore, all three yards, which have built up considerable international prestige for themselves over the years, are open and offer their repair and shipbuilding capacities to both Chilean and the worldwide ship owning companies.
