The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has hosted a welcoming ceremony for its new multi-role response vessel MRRV-9701, dubbed to be one of the two largest MRRVs in the coast guard.
As informed, the vessel arrived in Port Area, Manila on 26 February after conducting sea trials at the beginning of the month.
MRRV-9701 is the first of two 97-meter long vessels built under a project financed by the Japanese government Phase II of the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project (MSCIP).
The ship is able to achieve a maximum speed of not less than 24 knots; an endurance of not less than 4,000 nautical miles; and is capable of conducting sustained maritime patrols in the country’s maritime jurisdictions.
It is equipped with secure communication systems for Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance, a helideck and hangar for helicopter operations, an underwater remotely operated vehicle for subsurface search and survey, high-speed rubber boats and other essential equipment for maritime law enforcement operations
The vessel will soon be commissioned into the coast guard service as Barko Republika ng Pilipinas (BRP) Teresa Magbanua upon its arrival.
These new MRRVs, modeled after the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) Kunigami-class vessels, are expected to improve the PCG’s maritime security and maritime safety capabilities as they will be deployed to support the ongoing operations of the PCG Task Force Pagsasanay.