French shipbuilder OCEA signed a contract for the construction and basing support of 40 fast patrol boats for the Philippine Coast Guard on Thursday, marking the largest investment by Paris into Manila’s maritime security efforts to date.
These fast patrol craft will be based on OCEA’s FPB 110 MKII design, which comes in at 35 meters long and weighs 110 tons. The vessels are more capable than the existing four OCEA FPB 72s in service, which are used for littoral patrol and rarely operate into the South China Sea. According to company infographics, the FPB can reach speeds up to 28-35 knots. The vessels can also operate out to 700 nautical miles at 12 knots. OCEA claims that the vessels can conduct missions relating to territorial and deep sea surveillance operations, control of vessels at sea, and “sovereignty.” It should be noted that while there is a space for a deck gun, this is not depicted in 3D graphics of the vessels.
Specializing in aluminium hulls, OCEA also previously constructed the 83-meter-long BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301), which was the Philippine Coast Guard’s largest and most capable vessel until the arrival of the Japanese-funded and built Teresa Magbanua-class patrol vessels in 2022.
The €400 million deal includes the vessels, associated logistical support for up to nine years, and equipment to support the fast patrol craft at up to six Philippine Coast Guard bases. A statement from the Philippine Department of Transportation, the Coast Guard’s parent organization, described the deal as a “milestone” for the nation’s maritime sector. Documents of the project detailed aspirations for an even split of production of 20 vessels in France and the rest in the Philippines. OCEA previously highlighted its plans to open a yard in the Southeast Asian nation three ago. A company press release claimed that this week’s signing was the result of an intergovernmental agreement from last year and follows a series of maintance contracts of the shipbuilder’s vessels in Philippine service.
This procurement comes shortly after Manila ordered an additional five 97-meter-long multi-role response vessels from Japan, another major project in the Philippine Coast Guard modernization program. Alongside Paris’ efforts, the incoming 45 vessels will greatly supplement and assist the existing fleet of 13 ocean-capable vessels in supporting the agency’s missions across the Philippine archipelago and exclusive economic zone.
Manila’s pursuit of a larger and more capable Coast Guard comes amid a focus on white-hulled vessels in confronting Chinese aggression and maritime claims within its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, dubbed the West Philippine Sea. Media of incidents depicting smaller Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessels going up against much larger Chinese cutters and warships, as well as receiving damages via water cannon attacks and rammings, were prolific throughout 2024 and 2023.
Philippine state media reported that negotations for three offshore patrol vessels of the same design as Gabriela Silang are ongoing.