In an effort to improve inter-operability to come up with the standard maritime operation and coordination to respond swiftly to maritime distress, piracy incident and act of terrorism, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) started Tuesday the holding of joint passing exercise (PASSEX) at the Manila Bay.

Vice Admiral Damian Carlos, PCG chief, said the bilateral joint exercise is considered to be the first exercise between two international Coast Guard agencies.

Lieutenant Commander Joseph Coyme, PCG acting spokesman, said the PASSEX was held at the vicinity of Manila Bay.

“It will have its commencement point at coordinates 14’35” N and 120’50” E,” said Coyme, adding that the PASSEX will be having several serials such as vessels in column formation, line formation, boarding exercises and procedures by PCG Special Operations Group, cross deck landing by both the PCG and ICG helicopters, winching operations at Helo deck of PCG SAR 003 and will be concluded by traditional farewell pass,” said Carlos.

Coyme said PASSEX is aimed to promote harmonious working relation between the PCG and ICG to enhance each agency in the conduct of operations at sea.

“This will also endeavor to improve inter-operability to come up with the standard maritime operation and coordination to respond swiftly to maritime distress, piracy and act of terrorism,” said Coyme.

Coyme said participants to said exercise include the state of the art Search and Rescue Vessels (SAR) of the PCG: BRP Pampanga (SAR-003) under the command of Capt. George V. Ursabia Jr. and BRP Ilocos Norte (SAR 3501) under Lieutenant Commander Danilo T. Abila while Indian Coast Guard vessel ICG SAGAR will be under the command of Deputy Inspector General SC Tyagi.

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Rigid Buoyant Boat (RBB)

:banana: PCG and Indian Coast Guard joint exercises

RNLI RBBs at Lifeboat Pier, River Thames, LondonBased on the concept of a RIB but with a tube/sponson manufactured from a solid material such as moulded polyethylene or aluminium and therefore being much more robust than the fabrics commonly used. Boats with foam filled collars such as the secure all-around flotation equipped (SAFE) boats[3] employed by the US Coast Guard can also be classified as Rigid Buoyant Boats rather than "true" RIBs as the collar is solid foam rather than inflated. The handling tends to be very similar to a RIB; likewise they will remain afloat (buoyant) even if completely flooded. Aluminium RBBs tend to be bespoke (custom-made to specification) or low-volume products whilst the tooling cost of rotomolded polyethylene boats tends to require these to be higher volume products. At least three manufacturers are producing rotomolded boats of this type.[4][5][6] One supplier demonstrates the robustness of the boats by dropping one from a crane onto a concrete car park.[5] The U.S. Navy’s small unit riverine craft and the Coast Guard’s Defender class 25-foot (7.6 m) boats are examples of RBBs.