Melchora Aquino Will be Delivered in May
The second of two multi-role response vessels (MRRVs) built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) completed sea trials 28-31 March off Japan. BRP Melchora Aquino will be delivered in May. Future crew members are currently undergoing training at Shimonoseki Shipyard in Japan, according to the PCG.
Once in service, the vessel will join first-of-class BRP Teresa Magbanua, delivered in late February. It will serve as an additional asset for maritime patrol operations and as the main vessel for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. The MRRVs are being acquired under the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project Phase II, a Japanese-assisted project funded through a development assistance loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The platforms, modelled after the Japan Coast Guard Kunigami class, have a maximum speed of over 24kt, an endurance of at least 4,000nmi, and can conduct sustained patrols in the country’s maritime jurisdictions, according to the PCG. They are expected to improve the service’s maritime security and safety capabilities, as they will be deployed to support the ongoing operations of PCG Task Force Pagsasanay.