VESSEL REVIEW | PP-3595 – Highly versatile coast guard craft for Taiwan’s eastern waters

The Taiwan Coast Guard Administration (TCGA) recently took delivery of two new patrol vessels slated for operation on the country's east coast.

Built locally by the Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Group and given the designations PP-3595 and PP-3596, the two newbuilds will be utilised for a range of duties such as maritime law enforcement patrols, anti-piracy missions, anti-smuggling missions, fisheries enforcement, search and rescue, rendering assistance to other vessels in distress, firefighting and medical evacuation of patients from some of Taiwan's outlying islands to the mainland.

The patrol vessels' main area of operations will encompass the waters of the South China Sea off Taitung County and Green Island and Orchid Island off the country's east and south-east, respectively. Due to the distance between these two islands and the Taiwanese mainland, foreign fishing, research/survey, and military vessels are often found conducting unauthorised sailings in the surrounding waters, hence the need for the TCGA to establish a regular presence in the area with the help of these two new maritime patrol platforms.

The aluminium-hulled vessels each have a length of 22.35 metres, a moulded beam of 5.12 metres, a design draught of one metre, and a displacement of 35 tonnes. Two 1,324kW engines driving waterjets deliver a maximum speed of 45 knots and a range of 600 nautical miles at a cruising speed of just over 22 knots.

Forward-angled windscreens are fitted on the wheelhouse to reduce glare and provide improved visibility for the bridge crew. Mounted atop the wheelhouse are JRC radars and an array of searchlights and other equipment.

Interestingly, the safety railings on the deck of each boat, particularly on the bow and on either side of the wheelhouse, are placed further inboard rather than on the outside. This unique arrangement allows personnel to transit safely when walking along the deck without compromising the ability to facilitate transfers to other vessels alongside.

Also, because the deck is more open due to this layout, the transfers of personnel to other vessels for boardings and inspections can be done through the bow or on either side of the main cabin instead of through only one area of the boat.

The craft's onboard equipment also includes water cannons that may be used for firefighting or as a non-lethal means of dealing with hostile boats. The water cannons each have a reach of 60 metres.

PP-3595 and PP-3596 were both designed and built in accordance to Lloyd's Register and Taiwan's CR Classification Society rules.

See all the other news, reviews and features of this month's Maritime Security Week right here.