Japan Coast Guard arrives in PHL to hold bilateral exercise to combat piracy, robbery at sea

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 11): Japan Coast Guard arrives in PHL to hold bilateral exercise to combat piracy, robbery at sea

Japanese Coast Guard (JCG) vessel PHL02 Tsugaru arrived and docked at South Harbor, Manila on Monday to hold a joint bilateral exercise with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) this week to strengthen efforts to combat piracy and armed robbery at sea.

The 6th Joint Maritime Law Enforcement (MARLEN) Exercise will be conducted on Wednesday at vicinity waters off Manila Bay with the delegates of PCG Maritime Security and Law Enforcement Command together with other government law enforcement agencies and representatives from Australia and USA as observers.

PCG said that the exercise is also meant to acquire knowledge and skills in conducting airlift rescue operations, and to established friendship and mutual understanding between JCG and PCG and other Law Enforcement Agencies.

PHL02 Tsugaru will participate in the activity with their assets which include a helicopter (Helicopter Bell 412) and rigid hull inflatable boat for board, search and seizure procedure.

PCG will likewise deploy its floating and air assets to take part in the joint exercise.

PHL02 Tsugaru is a 105.40-meter crude oil tanker of 3,324 GT, owned by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport based at Hakodate Coast Guard Office in Tokyo, Japan.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=903101