PT PAL begins MRO work on Philippine Navy sealift vessel

BRP Tarlac seen here arriving in Surabaya for an MRO work in April 2025. (PT PAL)

Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL has begun maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) work on the Philippine Navy's first Tarlac-class strategic sealift vessel (SSV).

In response to questions from Janes , a spokesperson from the shipbuilder clarified that the MRO work focuses on the vessel's propulsion system and hull rectifications below the waterline.

Other than that, no work will be done on the vessel's engines, and no other upgrades are scheduled for this MRO work for now.

However, on the sidelines of the MRO activities, Philippine Navy personnel will be receiving training from the shipyard with regard to maintenance and repair procedures that have been tailored specifically for the vessel, the company spokesperson said.

PT PAL first disclosed on 17 April that it received the vessel with pennant number 601, BRP Tarlac , at its facilities in Surabaya to carry out the MRO.

It is PT PAL's first MRO project for an international naval customer and a contract to carry out the work was won via an open tender process that saw the participation of Philippine shipyards, PT PAL said in its statement.

MRO work on Tarlac is expected to take about four months, according to PT PAL.

Tarlac is the first of two landing platform dock (LPD)-like SSVs operated by the Philippine Navy, with the other being BRP Davao del Sur with pennant number 602.

Both vessels were built by PT PAL in Surabaya under a contract announced in January 2014. Tarlac was commissioned in June 2016 while its sister ship was inducted in May 2017.