Japanese Coast Guard’s Massive Multi-Purpose Ship

Biggest Coast Guard Vessel

As the Japanese Coast Guard (JCG) is tasked with tackling illegal fishing and smuggling, they also confront Chinese vessels near the disputed Senkaku Islands on a daily basis.

Recently, JCG has established a dedicated fleet for the Senkaku area while commissioning the new “Reimei-class” patrol vessels, but they seem to have taken another leap in their fleet buildup.

The new construction plan aims for an unprecedented multi-purpose patrol ship, measuring 200m/650ft in length and weighing around 30,000 tons.

• General Overview
  

Projected to enter service by 2029, the new ship will be three times larger than the Reimei-class, making it the world’s largest coast guard vessel.

Like previous vessels, it will conduct maritime security and counter illegal fishery, but the main focus will be towards disaster relief operations. Using its massive size, it aims to transport supplies and accommodate evacuees during disasters, as well as deploying vehicles like ambulances and bulldozers.

In addition to the large cranes and vehicle ramps, it will feature a helipad that can operate two helicopters simultaneously, resembling an amphibious assault ship rather than a patrol vessel.

The ship can accommodate over 1,000 evacuees, functioning as a temporarily shelter and base for long-term deployment. Its enhanced medical facilities will be crucial in responding to disasters, and can be used to provide assistance towards areas that lack proper hospitals.

As a coast guard ship with the capacity to serve as a mini-hospital ship, it is easier to deploy than the Self-Defense Forces, making it suitable for enhancing Japan’s presence in Pacific island nations.

Needless to say, these impressive capabilities can be applied for conflicts including a Taiwan contingency, by evacuating residents from nearby regions.

While JCG emphasizes the ship’s main purpose for disaster relief, there is no doubt that the underlying focus is on the potential Taiwan crisis.

What About The Crew?

However, operating a 30,000-ton multi-purpose vessel will come with some disadvantages.

One example is the limitation on maneuverability, as a ship this big is unfit for direct confrontations with Chinese vessels.

JCG seems to understand this point, and the released image does not show any armaments, indicating its primary role as a floating base rather than a frontline asset.

Therefore, we can assume that the ship will not be directly pitted against China in the Senkaku area, but more likely to provide rear support and enable the frontline crew to rest behind the lines.

Nonetheless, this super-large patrol vessel would require a large crew, exacerbating the JCG’s already scarce human resources.

Just like the Maritime Self-Defense Force, the coast guard has been struggling to recruit enough people, only to see their numbers gradually decline year by year.

To address this issue, JCG might follow the footsteps of the Navy’s Mogami-class frigates, and try to maintain operational availably through a crew rotation system.

But in any case, a larger ship means more personnel required, which the JCG does not have any luxury to begin with.