-
The Philippine Coast Guard will purchase 40 units of 35-meter fast patrol craft from French shipbuilding company OCEA
-
The Department of Transportation and OCEA signed a contract on the acquisition this week
-
The 40 high-speed multi-role vessels are expected to enhance the PCG’s maritime presence and rapid response capabilities nationwide, and form part of its modernization program
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will purchase 40 units of 35-meter fast patrol craft from French shipbuilding company OCEA.
This, after the Department of Transportation and OCEA signed a contract on the acquisition recently. The purchase is part of the PCG’s expansion of its operations amid complex maritime challenges, such as the growing maritime traffic, rising incidents of illegal activities at sea, and tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
Present at the contract signing ceremony were French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel; Transportation Secretary Vivencio Dizon; PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil L Gavan PCG; and OCEA Chief Executive Officer Roland Joassard.
The 40 high-speed multi-role vessels are expected to enhance the PCG’s maritime presence and rapid response capabilities nationwide, and form part of its modernization program.
It is supported through a government-to-government financing agreement under the Agreement on Financial and Development Cooperation between the Philippines and France.
Under the contract, the PCG will utilize the patrol boats to strengthen its capabilities across Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone, enabling broader coverage and improved mobility for simultaneous nationwide deployment.
Gavan said the high-speed vessels promote self-reliance in naval shipbuilding as 20 of the 40 units will be built locally.
The PCG head in a statement said: “Acquiring these assets will modernize the PCG Fleet, capacitating us to deploy mission-capable and high-speed vessels to further enhance maritime domain awareness and expand Coast Guard presence.”
The floating assets also allow the PCG to facilitate faster and more effective responses to maritime threats, such as illegal fishing, smuggling, piracy, and maritime terrorism, while enhancing interoperability with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and international partners.
The fast patrol craft serve as rapid deployment platforms for rescue, relief, and emergency operations during natural disasters and maritime incidents, improving overall response time and operational efficiency.
The project is backed by a nine-year integrated logistics support plan to guarantee sustained operational readiness and long-term asset maintenance.
READ: DOTr acquiring 40 fast patrol crafts for PCG at P25.75B
