Coastguards commission 1st multi-role vessel from Japan
ON May 6, 2022, Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko joined Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Coastguard Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu at the commissioning ceremony for the first of two 97m-class Multi-Role Response Vessels (MRRV) of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the “BRP Teresa Magbanua. ”
This first MRRV arrived in the Philippines in February, with the second vessel due to arrive by June 2022. The two vessels, the largest in the PCG fleet, were constructed at the Shimonoseki Shipyard of Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., where PCG crewmembers also completed the training program and sea trials before and after sailing to Manila.
During the ceremony, Koshikawa said, “Japan strongly hopes that BRP Teresa Magbanua will continue to play an important role in the Philippine seas for decades to come as a flagship of the PCG and as a symbol of friendship between our two nations.”
He also expressed appreciation for the dedication and relentless efforts of both Filipino and Japanese stakeholders in making BRP Teresa Magbanua operational.
Koshikawa also pointed out that BRP Teresa Magbanua embodies the strong commitment of our two governments to maintain maritime order under the UNCLOS. It also further strengthens the friendly relations between Japan and the Philippines. There is no doubt that the provision of the two 97m-class patrol vessels indicates the advancement of the two countries’ maritime security cooperation.
The acquisition of these two MRRVs was made possible under the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project (MSCIP) Phase 2, with ODA funding from the Japanese Government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency ( Jica). /