KARWAR:The Indian Coast Guard station in Karwar has been strengthened with the arrival of an interceptor boat C-155 which is armed with the state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment.
Built by Bharati Shipyard Ltd, Mumbai, at a cost of around Rs 30 crore, the boat, which has an overall length is 27.6 metres, arrived here on Wednesday.
The displacement load of the boat is 71 tonnes and can accommodate 10 operating crew with extra seating for eight persons. The boat can store food for about 20 days.
It can attain a speed of 35 nautical miles an hour, said commanding officer Jagannath Behera.
The boat will dock at Karwar port and will start patrolling in a day or two. The boat was inducted in Goa on February 10 and will be commissioned next month. The coast guard station of Karwar already has two interceptor craft — Charlie 123 and Charlie 124.
“With the arrival of interceptor boat C-55, the station will ensure more security in the interest of nation,” said commanding officer of the station Commandant G S Ralhi.
He said the boat will help coast guard personnel to attend to emergencies at the earliest and carry out rescue operations.
The crew will also be well equipped in terms of arms and rescue aids.
The boat has one heavy machine gun and one light machine gun apart from other arms, said a crew member of the boat which was built with indigenous and European technology. It is also equipped with a camera which rotates 360 degrees and an advanced radar and an engine that incorporates advanced technology.
Port officer Captain A R Gaonkar and Coast Guard PRO V K Singh were present.