Latest news with #RHIBs
Straits Times
16-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
US to build Philippine boat repair facilities near contested South China Sea
Find out what's new on ST website and app. A Philippine Navy ship is seen anchored at a naval facility in Oyster Bay in the western province of Palawan. – The US Navy plans to build two repair facilities for smaller vessels operating in the western Philippines, with one about 240km east of a fiercely contested reef in the South China Sea. Located in the Spratly archipelago, Second Thomas Shoal hosts a small detachment of Philippine forces aboard a grounded navy vessel and has been the site of clashes with Chinese ships . Beijing claims almost the entirety of the crucial waterway despite an international ruling its assertion has no merit. The US government's contracting website, locates one of the proposed repair facilities in Palawan province's Quezon municipality. The facilities 'will provide repair and maintenance capabilities for a variety of (Philippine) vessels, including 7.32m watercraft, as well as other smaller conventional watercraft', the bid notice for the Quezon project reads. The Philippines owns several vessels that size, including rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) that have been involved in clashes with larger Chinese ships. While there are not believed to be existing permanent military facilities in Quezon, the area has hosted parts of joint US-Philippine military exercises for the past two years. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Acute psychiatry services to be expanded across all healthcare clusters: MOH Singapore Strong argument for cockpit video recording, says Iata chief in wake of Air India crash report Singapore Baby died after mum took abortion pills and gave birth in toilet; coroner records an open verdict Life S'pore travel agency Beyond Expeditions criticised for planning, safety issues Business Tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter Kuok Hui Kwong appointed CEO of Shangri-La Asia Singapore Jail for drunken man who shoved stranger into Singapore River, causing him to drown Singapore 'Kpods broke our marriage, shattered our children': Woman on husband's vape addiction Singapore Asia-Pacific will need over 230k new pilots, 250k aircraft maintenance technicians by 2042: ICAO chief The US embassy in Manila confirmed the tender on July 16 for both the Quezon project and a similar one to be constructed at the Philippines' existing Oyster Bay naval facility about 130km north. Officials from the Defence Ministry did not immediately provide comment. Retired Philippine Admiral Rommel Jude Ong, now a military analyst with the Ateneo de Manila University, said such facilities could be used 'for RHIBs, but more likely for smaller rubber boats used in the resupply of occupied features'. The Philippines and the United States have deepened their defence cooperation since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr took office in 2022 and began pushing back on Beijing's sweeping South China Sea claims. AFP
The Sun
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
US to build Philippine boat repair hubs near South China Sea
MANILA: The US Navy will construct two vessel repair facilities in the western Philippines, including one approximately 240 kilometres east of the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, the US embassy announced. The move comes amid ongoing territorial tensions between Manila and Beijing over the strategic waterway. One facility will be located in Quezon municipality, Palawan province, as listed on the US government's contracting platform The project aims to service Philippine vessels, including 7.32-meter rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) frequently involved in maritime standoffs with Chinese ships. A second facility will be built at Oyster Bay naval base, 130 kilometres north. The Philippines maintains a small military presence aboard a grounded ship at Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands, where frequent confrontations with Chinese coast guard vessels occur. China claims nearly the entire South China Sea despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling rejecting its historical claims. Retired Philippine admiral Rommel Jude Ong noted the facilities could support resupply missions to remote outposts. The US-Philippines defence partnership has strengthened under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has taken a firmer stance against Beijing's maritime expansion. – AFP
RTÉ News
03-07-2025
- RTÉ News
Two men charged over €31m cocaine seizure in Co Cork
Two men have been charged in relation to the investigation into the seizure of cocaine worth around €31 million in Co Cork earlier this week. A quantity of suspected cocaine was found after a van was stopped in the Courtmacsherry area on Wednesday. Two men, aged in their 30s and 30s, were arrested at the scene. They have since been charged and are due before Bandon District Court later this morning. Two other men, also aged in their 30s and 40s, were arrested by gardaí after being detained at sea on a boat off the Co Cork coast. They remain in garda custody. It is understood the drugs were transferred, under surveillance, from a rigid hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) into an English-registered van at Broadstrand at around 4am on Wednesday. A van, with two men in it, was intercepted near Courtmacsherry by members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit and armed officers from the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. An estimated 443kg of cocaine - believed to have originated in South America and for the UK market - was seized and has since been sent to Dublin for analysis. Two other men on board the RHIB which left Broadstrand, were later arrested off the coast of Cork by armed members on board two Irish Naval Service RHIBs launched by LE William Butler Yeats (P63). They were arrested by gardaí once P63 returned to its base at Haulbowline in Cork harbour. The RHIB was handed over to Revenue to be detained. It is the largest seizure of cocaine since the haul of 2.25 tonnes on the MV Matthew off the Cork coast in September 2023.
Business Insider
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
British-Gambian defense ties grow as navy receives UK interceptor boats
The British High Commission has handed over two PAC 22 Interceptor Boats to the Gambia Navy, reinforcing growing defense ties and boosting the country's maritime security capacity. The British High Commission has gifted two PAC 22 Interceptor boats to the Gambia Navy to enhance maritime security. The donation represents strengthened defense ties and the UK's commitment to Gambia's territorial waters protection. Royal Navy personnel will provide training for effective use and maintenance of these vessels. The British High Commission on Thursday handed over two PAC 22 Interceptor Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) to the Gambia Navy, marking a new step in the growing defense partnership between the United Kingdom and The Gambia. The ceremony, held at the Naval Command headquarters in Banjul, saw British High Commissioner Harriet King officially present the boats to Lieutenant General Mamat O.A. Cham, Chief of Defence Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces. High Commissioner King described the donation as a sign of the UK's strong and ongoing commitment to The Gambia's maritime security. She reaffirmed the UK's support for the Gambian Navy's efforts to protect its territorial waters and tackle cross-border threats. The handover was described as a significant step in defense cooperation between the two countries, with High Commissioner King stating that the vessels reflect the UK's enduring commitment to The Gambia's national security and maritime sovereignty. The PAC 22 boats, designed for speed and maneuverability in all weather, are equipped for a range of naval tasks including anti-smuggling operations, illegal fishing patrols, and emergency rescue efforts. UK-Gambia naval cooperation Lieutenant General Cham, in his remarks, welcomed the support, noting that the new vessels would help the Navy confront the increasing security challenges along the country's coast and safeguard marine resources. The UK's contribution is part of broader efforts to promote maritime security in West Africa, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea, an area still grappling with illegal fishing, trafficking, and piracy. As the Gambia Navy continues its modernization, this latest support aligns with regional security efforts led by ECOWAS and international partners focused on better coordination and coastal protection. Royal Navy personnel are also expected to provide training for Gambian officers to ensure the effective use and maintenance of the boats. The event wrapped up with a live demonstration of the vessels, giving invited guests and military officials a glimpse of their capabilities at sea.
