Taiwan Coast Guard receives Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessel.

According to information published by the Taiwanese government on April 29, 2021, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) took delivery of a 4,000-ton vessel, its largest patrol boat to date, which is expected to significantly enhance its capability to protect Taiwan's waters.
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CG5001 Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessel (Picture source: Twitter account of President Tsai Ing-wen)

The vessel, named the "Chiayi," was handed over by the domestic shipbuilder CSBC Corp. at a ceremony in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan.

At the ceremony, President Tsai Ing-wen said CSBC's delivery of the indigenous patrol ship once again exemplified Taiwan's ability to expand its defense capacity.

The addition of the "Chiayi," now the largest CGA vessel, to the country's coast guard fleet will significantly boost its capability to carry out maritime patrols, crack down on illicit activities on the open seas, and conduct search and rescue missions, Tsai said.

She noted that in keeping with a new policy by her administration, the ship is among the first in the CGA fleet to be emblazoned with the word "Taiwan," which she said will distinguish it from Chinese vessels and display to the world Taiwan's resolution to protect its territorial waters.

Currently, most CGA vessels bear the words "ROC Coast Guard" on their hulls, but the new livery design is being implemented this year.

The proper identification of Taiwan's coast guard ships will allow them to operate more safely.

The 4,000-ton "Chiayi," named after a county in southern Taiwan, is 125 meters long, 16.5 meters wide and can travel up to 10,000 nautical miles, with a maximum speed of 24 knots.

It is equipped with three sets of water cannons with a range of 120 meters, Chang said.

The massive frigate can serve as a medical support vessel for humanitarian missions during peacetime and wartime, as it has hospital facilities such as operating theaters and isolation wards.

The Chiayi-class patrol vessel is a heavy patrol vessel of the Coast Guard Administration of Taiwan. All four ships are planned to be constructed by CSBC Corporation, Taiwan.

The class has a helipad and hangar which can accommodate a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. It is equipped with a medical center with a negative pressure area, a surgery suite, and a x-ray facility. The newly built patrol ships can withstand strong winds of class 10.