BRP Gregorio Velasquez (AGR-702) - ex-US R/V Melville

[adroth]

US Navy research ship is now BRP Gregorio Velasquez

Steve Angeles, ABS-CBN News
Posted at 04/29/16 12:33 AM

http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/v1/04/28/16/us-navy-research-ship-is-now-brp-gregorio-velasquez

SAN DIEGO - Forty-six years, a million and a half miles, and even a little bit of showbiz, the R/V Melville was one of the most well-traveled and well-known oceanographic research vessels in the world.

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In a commissioning and baptism ceremony, the US Navy facilitated the transfer of the R/V Melville from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to the Philippine Navy.

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It may be used for gathering information that may some day aid in ongoing territorial disputes, specifically in the West Philippine Sea.

While it is not meant for combat, the Melville, which is now renamed as BRP Gregorio Velasquez after the Filipino scientist, will be used by both the military and the private sector.

It will serve as a platform for scientific research, making those functions as well as humanitarian assistance and rescue efforts. These are the capabilities this vessel will provide.

Last November, the White House announced that the 279-foot research ship, along with the USCGC Boutwell, were part of the US military's efforts to help the Philippines maintains its maritime presence and patrols in its own waters.

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BRP Gregorio Velasquez is expected to arrive at the Philippine Navy home port in Subic by late June, ready for duty.

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[Ayoshi]

AFP chimes in: BRP Gregorio Velasquez ready for research mission | interaksyon - March 22, 2017

MANILA - Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman, on Wednesday indicated that the military establishment is ready to support "survey and research operation at Benham Rise, along with other relevant government agencies and the academe, in the name of science."

Padilla told defense reporters during a press briefing in AFP General Headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City: "It's part of the mandate of the military and other government agencies and academe to conduct research operation."

He elaborated that the research activity may be conducted by the Navy Research Vessel BRP Gregorio Velasquez, the lone such vessel of the Philippine Navy, which was formerly known as RV Merville that was part of the pledged military assistance packages from the administration of former US President Barrack Obama.

BRP Velasquez, as described by Padilla, is a research vessel that has survey capabilities, and has actually gone to Benham Rise before, as part of the survey operation in that vast sea territory, which was awarded by the United Nations as part of the Philippine continental shelf in 2012.

[mayk]

Supporting the raising of the flag at Philippine Rise (taken from https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1950768985162991&id=1515763818663512)

[mayk]

[adroth]

NOTICE TO MARINERS NUMBER 235-2017
Published: 14 November 2017

http://www.coastguard.gov.ph/index.php/notice-to-mariners/notam-2017/november-2017/1865-notice-to-mariners-number-235-2017

Notice is hereby given to all mariners and other parties concerned that:

1. Reference: Philippine Navy Radio Message Cite F30-1117-120.

2. The  BRP GREGORIO VELASQUEZ (AGR702) will be use as platform for Marine Scientific Research with RP scientists spearheaded by the University of the Philippines-Diliman. Said MSR will be conducted at the Central Visayas waters tentatively to start on the 2nd week of November to 1st week of December 2017 bounded by following coordinates:

A. VICINITY OF DUMAGUETE
9°24.427’N;123°17.820’E

9°23.006’N; 123°16.628’E

9°20.333’N; 123°19.899’E

9°13.954’N; 123°18.842’E

9°11.939’N; 123°25.419’E

9°16.711’N; 123°27.633’E

9°19.791’N; 123°37.174’E

9°27.709’N; 123°25.180’E

9°24.461’N; 123°22.965’E

9°24.495’N; 123°18.502’E

 
B. VICINITY OF TANON STRAIT
11°17.120’N; 123°51.782’E

11°07.003’N; 123°49.179’E

10°44.179’N; 123°33.999’E

10°24.865’N; 123°26.300’E

10°07.582’N; 123°18.485’E

9°48.569’N; 123°10.677’E

9°23.270’N; 123°15.823’E

9°20.859’N; 123°18.844’E

9°22.996’N; 123°20.738’E

3. In this connection, all ships/watercrafts transiting the vicinity of the abovementioned areas are advised to take note of the information and take necessary precautionary measures at all times.

4. The cooperation of all concerned in effecting widest dissemination of this information is requested.

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Flashback

US Navy Transfers Research Vessel to Philippine Navy
Story Number: NNS160428-09Release Date: 4/28/2016 2:58:00 PM
By Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Travis Litke, Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet Public Affairs

https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=94465

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy transferred ownership of Research Vessel (R/V) Melville to the Philippine Navy, during a ceremony April 27 at Naval Base San Diego.

The ship was transferred under the U.S. Department of Defense's excess defense articles program to help augment the Republic of the Philippines oceanographic research and study capabilities.

Melville, named for George Melville, an explorer and rear admiral in the United States Navy, was launched from La Jolla, California, in 1968. Since then, it has served the Office of Naval Research, been operated by Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and also played a role in the 1976 film King Kong.

Melville will be received as the Philippine Navy's first dedicated research vessel.

"The Philippines is and will remain a vital strategic ally in the region for the foreseeable future, and I am proud to play a part in that relationship," said Vice Adm. Nora Tyson, commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet. "Today, we not only transfer a platform that will enhance the Philippines' environmental research and law enforcement capabilities but will also contribute to the security and stability of the region."

With the signing of handover paperwork between Tyson and the Honorable Leo Herrera-Lim, Consul General of the Philippines in Los Angeles, the vessel transferred ownership to the Philippine Navy.

"The transfer of the vessel Melville to the Philippines today signifies the shared commitment of the Philippines in terms of furthering scientific research in our part of the world but also our shared values of advancing security of our common people in terms of the future ahead of us," said Herrera-Lim.

The ship's new sponsor, Fidelis Herrera-Lim, wife of the Honorable Leo Herrera-Lim, smashed a bottle of wine against the hull, officially christening the vessel BRP Gregorio Velasquez (AGR 702), named after Gregorio Velasquez, a renowned leader in the Philippine scientific community.

Once christened, official orders were read, the commissioning pennant was hoisted, watches were set, and the vessel was officially placed in commission.

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PN Research vessel arrives from mission

https://www.facebook.com/philippinenavy/posts/10156463942562956

Pier 13, South Harbor, Manila – Philippine Navy (PN) research vessel, BRP Gregorio Velasquez (AGR 702), arrived here earlier today after its two months visit within the seaboards of Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga Del Sur.