Repost
SHAH ALAM: MMEA NGPC. During his presentation of the 2015 budget, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak revealed that to improve maritime safety, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA/APMM) will be allocated RM393 million. The money is to improve operational efficiency and the purchase of seven new patrol vessels.
The tender for the new patrol vessels or New Generation Patrol Craft (NGPC) was issued in July and closed on Aug 25. Based on the specification, the NGPC will be a modern patrol vessel of about 45 meters in length from a proven hull design, seven days endurance and embarkation for 30 crew and 10 extra personnel. It will be equipped with an RHIB and the main gun will be a 30mm gun fitted in an RWS.
AFAIK, there was no extension to the tender and I was told that MMEA was already in discussion with the winning bidder. I am not purview to the winning bidder but I was told it was not the usual suspect, BNS.
As we have ruled out the usual suspect, the other yards that have experience in building patrol boats in recent times are NGV Tech Sdn Bhd – the builder of the RMN’s two training ships and Perlis Marine Engineering (PME). PME built five 25 metre boat for the Marine Police (delivered in 2010) and six 20m self righting rescue boat for MMEA (delivered last year). Two of the Marine Police PA-class boats are being operated in ESSZone.
We can immediately rule out NGV Tech as the yard is under receivership while PME remained in contention, though (to be updated). I am not saying other shipyards in the country will not be able to undertake the job but it will be a steep learning curve for the winner especially if their recent experience involved RHIBs or composites as the MMEA required that the NGPC hull is made of steel.
One interesting requirement of the NGPC is for the ships to be supplied with an UAV. Among others the specification of the UAV called for it to be fitted with an EO or IR payload, be launched via catapult and recovered by a skyhook.
The above specifications literally mean – at least to me only one thing, the Scaneagle UAV. I am not sure whether they can afford to have seven Scaneagle systems – one system normally has three EO and one IR – as one system cost around RM10 million each, meaning the UAVs alone will cost around RM70 million!
I am not purview to the actual cost of the NGPC but by extrapolating the cost of the 25m patrol boat bought by PDRM in 2010 (costing around RM10.4 million each), the new vessel may cost around RM20 million to RM30 million each, minus the other equipment. However, if they allocated RM350 million to the project, each NGPC could cost around RM50 million together with the Scaneagle UAV.
The NGPC is also to be supplied among other things with two 10 feet X 10 feet containers, of which one would be able to be carried by the ship at one time. Apart from the SAR, constabulary and fire fighting duties, the NGFC is also designed to be able to carry anti-oil spill operations which equipment will be supplied by the builder.
Based on the specifications especially the UAV and container requirement, I believed the best hull design is the Damen Stan Patrol 5009 (50 metres long, 9 metres width). It is longer than the specified length of the NGPC but I think the design – derived from the company’s own Fast Crew Supply ship -fit the requirement of MMEA perfectly.
Damen also has another well-proven hull design which may be suited for the NGPC which is the Stan Patrol 4207 (42 metres long, 7 metres width) in service with the Mexican Navy and other countries. The Damen boats cost around RM50 million each (without UAV) based on my research into the boats.
There are other proven 45 metre designs from notable shipyards such as Lursen (Jerung class FACs are a 45m Lursen design) and CMN (Perdana class FACs) which are similar to the requirements laid out by MMEA for its NGPC.
The Armidale and Cape class boats from Australia are also suitable but are much bigger than the stated requirement. The in-service date of the NGPC is 2017 and if the date is kept, MMEA will have the most modern naval vessels in Malaysia until 2019 when the first LCS is set to become operational. Costing more than RM1 billion each, the LCS should be more sophisticated.
If we were to spend around RM400 million a year for the next five years, MMEA will be able to replace all of its Sipadan and Gagah class patrol boats by 2020. By then the Sipadan class (ex Kris class) will be around 50 years old and the Gagah class will be 40. The NGPC project is designed to replace these boats.
–Malaysian Defence
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Buatbot says:
October 30, 2014 at 8:07 pm
Look out for
Bns
Labuan shipyard
Grade one
Geliga slipway
Mset
Kaymarine
The new NGV tech
Sarawak slipway
Complete tender spec previously can be downloaded via eperolehan. The tender requirement is a mix of too surface and too detail on certain item.
Not to mention putting all those 60 mtr vessel equipment on a max 45 mtr LOA vessel.
Azlan says:
October 22, 2014 at 10:26 am
Marhalim, you raise a good point.
It is also vey telling that a few years ago the RMAF announced that the Typhoon costs more to operate than the Tornado F-3 which was known to be very expensive to operate on account, amongst other things, of being maintenance intensive. Apart from fuel and preventive maintenance; the higher level of automation and avionics on board current gen fighters also makes them expensive to operate.
The local print media went ga-ga over the uber high tech Rafale and Typhoon: instead of asking how many missiles can be carried, which is more ”high-tech” or nonsense like what is the top speed. What should be asked is over a given period, which of the 2 is cheaper to operate … :]
AM says:
October 21, 2014 at 9:02 pm
I wonder what our MKM’s per flight hour cost is.
The Mirage 2000-5 shows us that a cheaper fighter can cost as much as 4 times per hour as the F-16.
Azlan says:
October 21, 2014 at 2:48 pm
Indeed Marhalim. If the average rakyat was told how much it costs to put an F-18 in the air every hour and how much the post-flight maintenance cost; they would get a cardiac arrest!
Reply
Interestingly, one could play around with such operational cost as there is no standard formula. UK MOD told the Parliament that a Typhoon per hour cost including fuel is around US$6200 (RM20,235). The average cost for US teen fighters are around US$17,000 to US$19500 (RM59,000 +++ to RM63,000+++)
zaidi says:
October 21, 2014 at 9:41 am
The number of boats required is too small for the large capacity of the shipyards available in the country. As usual we have oversupply of the manufacturing and assembly yard. One of the most difficult aspect of ship fabrication is the severe fluctuation in demand in addition to the very poor economic linkages (shipbuilding about 1X) unlike housing (about 14X) or civil engineering projects. Almost all the materials used in shipbuilding is imported, leaving the value added activities to fabrication and assembly. Most of the time, budget requirement is carried out in five years tranche which is good for planning but terrible for maintenance. The MMEA procurement is timely. We hope they will have value for money. The guys at the MoF are wise if they could follow the Canadian Procurement System which require lifetime cost of ownership. With this system the department can plan and tell the Bursary how much is needed for sustenance annually. This point is missing in the overall budget system where each year the Department is required to present and defend the meager operating expenditure. With the costly Bombardier and helicopters to maintain, MMEA may face a difficult future if the lifetime ownership costs are not managed and accounted for. Selamat berjaya!
Reply
One caveat about the Canadian system is that we will never buy anything if we were to count how much money is going to be needed for the whole lifespan of the things we are going to buy. Just like the Canadians…
SgWay says:
October 20, 2014 at 11:45 pm
The Damen 4207 design seems to be accepted standard of a coast guard patrol boat even on Google Images.
Vietnam is our closest neighbour that base on its Coast Guard wiki have apparently ordered Damen 4207 patrol boats. This is an addition to their 90m 2500 tonnes DN 2000 OPV also from Damen.
The 4207 remans that proven design that MMEA is looking for.
AM says:
October 20, 2014 at 10:20 pm
It is well known that the civil service is a political populist tool by sponsoring employment. The government has stated its intention to enlarge the civil service. That is why we won’t see a reduction of duplication any time soon.
There are so many disparate civil offices and law enforcement agencies that could be consolidated. Among the law enforcement ones, each insists on having its own “special” forces.
nimitz says:
October 20, 2014 at 6:05 pm
And the shipyard does not fall into s@#$!hole ala PSCND & NGVT.
SavvyKL says:
October 20, 2014 at 5:52 pm
March 2014 Venezuela order 6 Damen 4207 at 132.7 million, 6 unit Damen 5009 at 176.6 million with support. so cost each unit is $22 million for 4207 and $30 million each for 5009 patrol boat. RM 396 million just about $125 million, so basically is not enough to buy Damen patrol boat.
Ares Hercules is using Aluminium Alloy (or) FRP Composites which is lighter. steel almost old technology in small patrol boat.
Reply
If you know which local yard working with Ares email me at marhalim68@gmail.com
Azlan says:
October 20, 2014 at 10:04 am
Irrespective of mistakes made in the past and the inability to solve certain longstanding issues; the contract for the MMEA 7 boats is long overdue. Now lets hope the MMEA gets its boats on time, on specification and within budget.
cheekucai says:
October 20, 2014 at 9:38 am
big little napoleons with their turf thingy.. similar to JPJ and police. (Why need JPJ to enforce road rules? Let the traffic cops handle those, they are trained well, armed and tontos don’t mess with them.)
This kind of turf protectionism(?) gave rise to public’s suspiscion that uniformed entities are rife with bribery and corruption.
Azlan says:
October 19, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Like in the U.S; different agencies/organisations are tasked with protecting the border: the army [Border Regiment and other units] and the police [GOF] – this is a legacy of the 2nd Emergency. Having an MMEA land equivalent to guard borders would just lead to the raising of yet another organisation and more duplication. As it is, there was a lot in infighting when the MMEA was raised. At one point [during Badawi’s time] the Marine Police was to have been disbanded and absorbed into the MMEA but the police fought to have the Marine Police seperate from the MMEA. I recalll reading somewhere that there were plans for an MMEA back in the 1980’s but the RMN was against the idea due to fears that its budget would be affected.
The landing deck of the LCS is more than adequate if a decision is later made more for a UAV to be operated. Mine laying is fairly easy, all one needs is a GPS and rails for mines to mounted. Minesweeping or minehunting however is a completely different matter and would be beyond the ability of the MMEA.
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All the mess in the enforcement of our waters would have been solved if the government had stiffened up and turned Marine Police into MMEA or vice versa.
stanman says:
October 19, 2014 at 2:27 pm
It was intended for MMEA to take over everything from the water’s edge. Polis decided otherwise.
Would it not be awesome if we had just bought into STANFlex….. instead we have the same old rubbish. Discreet non-interoperable stuff.
Yay!
Nimitz says:
October 18, 2014 at 10:46 pm
NGPC,judging from specs, MMEA will operate a vessel which have; FFBNW (10x10feet container), OTHT (UAV), stabilised AutoGun (30mm RWS). These are big differences to PC in-service. The containerised modules could become handy to MMEA if the need arise for mine-laying/de-mining, convoy protection, amphib support. Hope that MMEA can adapt to UAV-at-sea operation and act as a proving ground, IMHO RMN later will have to learn from them as LCS will come without UAV attached.
AM says:
October 18, 2014 at 10:22 pm
Why is it that MMEA is separate from our military and police, but on land there is no equivalent border force?
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We copied from the US without thinking the implications…
AM says:
October 18, 2014 at 5:41 pm
Sadly, our 2 scaneagles in Sabah are not organic to the armed forces.
Azman says:
October 17, 2014 at 4:35 am
Scanegale couldn’t carry EO and IR at a time?while rotary type UAV can be fitted/operate both functions at the same time. rotary wing UAV will be a perfect choice for MMEA.
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No, its too small to carry two payloads at the same time, the EO is flown during the day, the IR at night. Not many VUAV at the moment with enough endurance that MMEA wants. Plus, MMEA must have got info on the experience of CTRM in operating the Scaneagle in Sabah.
Husni says:
October 17, 2014 at 4:26 am
Scaneale on board? it will be messy at the landing deck with catapult and skyhook, can scaneagle recovery at sea state 4?
MMEA should consider Camcopter S-100 for the shipboard operation that are proven with extra pounce payloads. yum yum!!
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US Socom operates the Scaneagles on Mk V boats smaller than the 45 metre specified length of the NGPC.
SgWay says:
October 16, 2014 at 10:53 pm
STX marin does have a wide range of patrol vessels includng one that is exactly 45m.
http://www.stxmarine.net/ship_patrol.html
MMEA requirement for a crew of 30 + 10 seems hard to be complied by a 45m ship. Only the 50m Damen Stan 5009 seem to fit this requirement .
faisal says:
October 16, 2014 at 10:19 pm
Can you post the technical specs mentioned in the tender that was floated months back? I mean apart from the boat dimension, what else was stated in the requirement.
SgWay says:
October 16, 2014 at 9:31 pm
Instrongly believe that the Stan 4708 is the more proven design. Its widely used around the world..the Ecuadorians, Mexicans and even Nigerians. Seems big enough and cheap to run looking at the users.
The 5009 seems and look unconventional.
The turkish designs are somewhat on paper only hence unproven.
AM says:
October 16, 2014 at 7:43 pm
I hope we don’t get something excessively high tech, complex or unique. It’s MMEA for goodness sake.
… says:
October 16, 2014 at 11:11 am
Ares is turkish so probably is boustead yonca onuk JV in langkawi. My only concern is that huge ship hull is in composite (look what happened to kri klewang)
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Ares website states that the Hercules hull could be steel or composite. I Googled already and could not find any indication of a tie-up between Ares and a local yard. PME had tied up with another Turkish yard, RMK Marine. The Google search also revealed that there are about 70 shipyards in Malaysia so it could be anyone of those.
… says:
October 16, 2014 at 11:08 am
That damen 5009 ship costs euro11million or about rm46 million each based on what it’s first customer paid for. Recently it won a tender to supply 2 of them to italian coast guard.
One of my favourite coast guard ship designs.
SavvyKL says:
October 15, 2014 at 11:58 pm
I guess is Ares 150 Ares 150 Hercules patrol craft. spec: 46 meter, 30mm gun, 40 knot, Ribs, 7 days, endurance: 1800nm 30 crew.
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The specs fit the requirement but who is the local partner?
SgWay says:
October 15, 2014 at 7:15 pm
A bigger version of the PDRm Pc by PME should be fine if money is a big issue.
Anyway,I have feeling that the Lurssen/CMN design will be preferred as the design should be familiar to our MMEA seamen who may be ex RMN men.
I doubt the Damen design will get in as its is too expensive and Damen is largely alien to us.