2 French-built Coast Guard patrol vessels arrive in Subic

Two more French-made patrol boats, which will be fielded for antismuggling missions in the country, have arrived at the Port of Subic Thursday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) announced Friday.

The pair of 24-meter fast patrol boats will complete the four patrol vessels acquired through an agreement between the Philippine Coast Guard and the French ship builder in 2014.

Officials said the vessels will be commissioned to service as BRP Malamawi (FPB 2403) and BRP Kalanggaman (FPB 2404).

According to Captain Armand Balilo, Coast Guard spokesman, the “primary mission of the boats is to boost the country’s fight against smuggling,” adding that three of the four vessels will be jointly operated by the Coast Guard and the Bureau of Customs.

Two vessels of the same kind were delivered in August and September this year.

According to the PCG, the acquisition of the patrol boats is under the contract signed by the Department of Transportation with maritime technology expert and ship builder OCEA S.A. of France “to strengthen the enforcement in maritime safety and security, and marine environmental protection.”

The new fast patrol boats can carry 12 crewmembers and 16 passengers.

The PCG added that an 82-meter offshore patrol vessel is scheduled to arrive in August 2019.

Rear Admiral Elson Hermogino, Coast Guard commandant, said the procurement of the vessels includes training, provision of spare parts and technical assistance after the delivery date.

Several PCG personnel were deployed to the Bureau of Customs to assist in anti- smuggling operations of the bureau for six months.

The PCG is tasked to “assist in the enforcement of laws on fisheries, immigration, tariff and customs, forestry, firearms and explosives, human trafficking, dangerous drugs, and controlled chemicals, transnational crimes, the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and other applicable laws within the maritime jurisdiction of the Philippines.”

Prior to this development, the two organizations also signed a pact to jointly carry out anti-smuggling operations using Coast Guard vessels.