Coast Guard’s first French-built patrol boat arrives in Subic

A French-built vessel that will boost the country’s maritime security and will soon be commissioned

in the service of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) arrived in Subic on Wednesday.

It is the first of the four 24-meter Fast Patrol Boats “FPB 72 MKII” that are being acquired by the Philippines through an agreement between the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and French shipbuilder OCEA.

The new ship arrived at the Subic Bay Seaport and will be commissioned on August 23, Captain Armand Balilo, Coast Guard spokesman, said.

The acquisition of the patrol boats from France was a result of the two organizations’ agreement in September 2014 that will “give significant impact on the performance of the agency thus, will further strengthen its relentless campaign in maritime safety, marine environmental protection and maritime security.”

The “FPB 72 MKII” has a maximum speed of 28 nautical miles per hour. It can also carry 12 crew and 16 passengers.

According to Admiral Elson Hermogino, Coast Guard commandant, the strategic deployment of the fast patrol boat is now being determined to effectively carry out anti-illegal drugs campaign and to prevent all kinds of lawlessness in the country’s vast sovereign waters.

Hermogino added that aside from the four patrol boats, the PCG will also be acquiring one 82-meter offshore patrol vessel with an over-all acquisition cost of 15.142 billion.

The procurement of the vessels includes training, provision of spare parts and technical assistance after the delivery date, the commandant said.

The second and third patrol boats are expected to be delivered in September and November this year while the fourth is expected to arrive in January 2019.