Nine (9) more MRRVs will be built by the Japan Marine
United Corporation (JMUC) Yokohama Shipyard for the Coast Guard and
will also be named after the primary lighthouses in the country to denote
the important role of the lighthouse as an aid to navigation to mariners.
Rear Admiral Melad lauded the Japanese government for the continuous
and unwavering support to the PCG’s capability development programs.
Over the past 18 years, Japan thru the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) has extended numerous assistance to the Philippine Coast
Guard in terms of human resource development, providing additional
equipment for the communications, diving and rescue, personal protective
equipment for oil spill combat operations, and donating small boats
and rubber boats.
BRP Corregidor (AE-891), a 56-meter lighthouse/buoy tender vessel
which is one of the capital ships of the PCG primarily used in the
installation of buoys and other aids to navigation and in the removal
of obstructions and hazards to the safety of navigation is marked
as the first ever Coast Guard vessel donated by the Japan government
in 1998.
The project formally called the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement
Project was awarded by the transportation department to the Japan
Marine United Corporation (JMU) last week. It is being implemented
as an Official Development Assistance (ODA) project, via a tied loan
extended by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The loan facility covers P 7,373,700,000.00 out of the total project
of P 8,807,700,000.00. The balance will be sourced from the Philippine
counterpart of P 1, 434,000,000.00.
Under the project terms, the MRRVs will be used by the PCG for the
following purposes:
• Primary rescue vessels within the PCG District’s areas
of responsibility (AOR) when the extent of the disaster is beyond
the capability of floating assets deployed within the area;
• Assistance in the control of oil pollution and protection
of the marine environment;
• Enforcement of all applicable maritime laws within the designated
AOR, particularly relating to illegal fishing and sea patrol;
• Service as platform for rapid response during relief operations
in the area;
• Transport of personnel and logistical support.
The MRRVs will be deployed to various PCG Districts across the country,
including Manila, La Union, and Puerto Princesa.
JMU’s winning bid is in the amount of 12,790,000,000.00 Japanese
Yen, and includes the supply of standard spare parts and tools, crew
training, ocean transportation, and marine insurance. The vessels
will have a standard cruising speed of 25 knots, and a range of 1,500
nautical miles.
