VISAKHAPATNAM: Additional Director General of the Coast Guard VSR Murthy commissioned the fifth in the series of the fast patrol vessels, ICGS Rashmoni, in Visakhapatnam on Monday. The 51 metre long, 8.36 metre wide and 346-tonne ship, named after the legendary Rani Rashmoni of Kolkata, has been designed and built by the Hindustan Ship Yard Ltd, and is equipped with the most advanced and sophisticated navigational and communication sensors and equipment. ICGS Rashmoni is propelled by three MTU 40000 series diesel engines of 2,720 KW capacity each coupled with three Rolls Royce
Kamewa jets and can achieve a maximum speed of 34 knots (63kmph). In his address, the additional director general (ADG) said that the ship is designed to perform multifarious tasks such as surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue, anti-smuggling and anti-poaching operations. “The project, in fact, has been challenging for the builders, as it encountered tremendous obstacles in dealing with the tonnage of the vessel and the resultant speed,” he said.
The ADG added that the Coast Guard plays an important role in protecting the wide-ranging maritime interests of the nation, particularly after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. “Consequently, concerted efforts have been made towards capacity building to fulfil the greater responsibility of coastal security,” the ADG said.
The Coast Guard will add five more ships to the coast of Andhra Pradesh to be placed at Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Krishnapatnam in the next two years.
The ICG is planning to set up an Air Enclave at Visakhapatnam to enhance air surveillance. A jetty will also be built at Kakinada with the help of the Navy. Around 60 more radar stations will be established on the Andhra Pradesh coastline under Phase II of Coastal Surveillance Network to ensure near gap-free electronic surveillance.
Enhancing fleet strength
ICGS has plans to achieve the fleet strength of 200 ships and 100 aircrafts by the year 2023. Nearly, 60 surface platforms and 15 work boats are under construction at various Indian Shipyards. Presently, the CG has 136 ships, 62 aircrafts and over 13,000 personnel.
The ICG has institutionalised cooperation with various coast guards by signing MoU with seven countries towards strengthening regional cooperation in the field of maritime safety and environmental protection.
It has also signed a MoU for cooperation on response to oil and chemical pollution in South Asian Sea region covering India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives.