- Philippine Navy personnel arrived in San Diego, U.S.A. to receive the country’s new warship
- The new vessel is a 48-year-old research ship formerly operated by the U.S. Navy and the University of California
- The ship is one of the two vessels donated by the U.S. government during President Obama’s visit to the Philippines last November
A contingent from the Philippine Navy (PN) is now in San Diego, U.S.A. to receive the warship donated by the American government to the Armed Forces of the Philippines last November during the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama.
In a status update posted by the crew of R/V Melville on Twitter, it was disclosed that the Filipino sailors set foot on the country’s new ship on March 22, Tuesday.
“Today I have the pleasure of meeting my new crew… Philippine Navy,” the post stated.
The ship, which belongs to the Robert D. Conrad-class of U.S. Navy assets, is an oceanographic research vessel that was launched in La Jolla, California on July 10, 1968.
It sports a laboratory space that occupies an area of 245 square meters, a main deck working area of 376 square meters, a freeboard of 3.7 meters, and a sewerage system that can hold up to 30,000 liters.
The 48-year-old vessel operates on two 1,385 horsepower GE propulsion motors, a 900 horsepower retractable Azimuth-compensating bow thruster, and two 1,385 horsepower Z-Drive Lips propellers.
In 1969, the U.S. Navy entrusted the operation of R/V Melville to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, which is one of the oldest existing centers for ocean and earth research.
The institution, which forms part of the University of California, focuses on studies concerning physics, chemistry, biology, geology, and climatology.
During the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Manila last year, President Obama also said that the 49-year-old U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Boutwell will also be donated to the Philippine government .
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