The ship, classified as a Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV), is the second ship from the second batch of two LPDs ordered for the Philippine Navy. The first steel-cutting ceremony for this ship had already taken place on January 22, together with the keel laying of the first LPD of the same batch.
The keel laying ceremony was held at PT PAL’s ‘Semarang’ Graving Dock in Surabaya City, East Java, and attended by several officials from the Philippine Navy, including Capt Leo Amor A. Vidal and Capt. Emerson F. Oxales.
According to PT PAL, this second batch LPD project goes beyond ship construction, as it also fosters defence and security cooperation in Southeast Asia. Moreover, the shipbuilder expressed its pride in working together with the Philippine Navy.
The first batch, consisting of two LPDs, BRP Tarlac (LD-601) and BRP Davao del Sur (LD-602), were successfully delivered and commissioned in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Both ships have participated in numerous exercises and humanitarian missions, demonstrating their versatility and critical importance to the Philippine Navy. On a number of occasions, the two vessels have also been deployed to the South China Sea.
Next LPD Customer: Malaysia?
In addition to PT PAL’s ongoing work for the Philippine Navy, the shipyard is currently building a 163-metre LPD for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy. The contract for this LPD, valued at AED 1.5 billion, was signed in 2023.
Furthermore, PT PAL is currently competing with other shipbuilders to win a contract in the Royal Malaysian Navy’s (TLDM) Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) programme. The company has been actively showcasing its shipbuilding capabilities, with a recent highlight being the visit of TLDM Chief, Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Rahman bin Ayob, to its facilities in Surabaya, last April.
The admiral inspected PT PAL’s surface warship production line and closely examined KRI dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo (991), an Indonesian Navy’s (TNI AL) hospital ship, with PT PAL built based on its LPD design.
In fact, in 2016, PT PAL already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Malaysia-based Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) on the possible construction of MRSS vessels for the Malaysian Navy. However, there have been no notable updates or progress on the MoU to date.
More recently, during last month’s Defence Services Asia 2024 (DSA 2024) Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, PT PAL and Malaysian Lumut Naval Shipyard (LUNAS, the new name of BNS) signed an MoU to explore potential collaborations in shipbuilding, as well as in the science and technology sectors. To note, the signing ceremony was witnessed directly by the TLDM Chief.
In a recent discussion with Naval News, PT PAL officials reaffirmed the company’s plan to expand its business footprint in Southeast Asia, citing the region’s significant potential for increased sales and market penetration, including in terms of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) service.
They also underlined PT PAL’s unique advantage compared to other shipbuilders, particularly those from outside Southeast Asia, which is its deep understanding of the region’s tropical environment and its direct implications on raw materials selection, ship construction processes, and operational effectiveness.
