Philippines awards 94-meter Offshore Patrol Vessels to Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

A Kunigami-class offshore patrol vessel of the Japan Coast Guard. The Philippine Coast Guard is planning to build 2 ships based on a modified version of the Kunigami-class. Photo c/o Hiveminer.

The Philippines' Department of Transportation (DOTr) has awarded the tender to design and build two (2) 94-meter Multi-Role Response Vessels (MRRV) to Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shipbuilding Co. Ltd (MHI Shipbuilding) for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

The ships, which would be based on a modified version of the Japan Coast Guard's Kunigami-class offshore patrol vessels, will become the largest ships in the PCG inventory and will be tasked to patrol and conduct maritime law enforcement and safety missions within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Both ships are funded under Japanese Official Development Assistance, and part of the deal is to have the ships contracted to Japanese shipbuilders only. Among those that competed aside from MHI Shipbuilding are Japan Marine United and Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding.

The ships are expected to be delivered to the PCG by 2022.

They would be 94 meters long, will have a maximum speed of at least 24 knots, an endurance of more than 4,000 nautical miles, a crew of 57 officers and sailors. It will be equipped with a helicopter landing deck with hangar for a medium-sized helicopter, and allocations for RHIBs.



[1] Philippine Defense Resource
[2] MaxDefense Philippines
[3] Asia Pacific Defense Journal