Coast Guard's new vessel BRP Melchora Aquino expected to arrive on June 1 —PCG

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will soon have a new multi-role response vessel (MRRV) to add to its maritime assets, the BRP Melchora Aquino.

The vessel also known as MRRV-9702 is currently at Shimonoseki Shipyard in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan and undergoing the last "harbor acceptance test and inspection" by the PCG. 

It will depart Japan on May 27 and is expected to arrive in the Philippines on June 2022 where it will be commissioned into service.

MRRV-9702 Commanding Officer Coast Guard Commander Patrick Babag said the inspection is important to ensure that the vessel is "fully compliant" with the technical specifications in the contract.

The said vessel will be the second 97-meter MRRV of the PCG. The first one is the BRP Teresa Magbanua which was commissioned into PCG service on May 2.

The BRP Melchora Aquino was modeled after the Kunigami-class vessel of the Japanese Coast Guard.

The vessel has a speed of 24 knots and with endurance of 4,000 nautical miles.

PCG Commandant Coast Guard Admiral Artemio Abu said the BRP Teresa Magbanua and BRP Melchora Aquino will be used to strengthen maritime security, maritime safety, maritime law enforcement, maritime search and rescue, and marine environmental protection capabilities of the PCG.

The MRRV-9702 was acquired by the Department of Transportation under the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project Phase II, with funds from a loan from the Japan Official Development Assistance (ODA). —KG, GMA News