Two Interceptor boats, C-150 and C-151, will join the Coast Guard fleet on Monday when Vice Admiral Anil Chopra, director general, Indian Coast Guard, commissions the vessels at BTP Jetty, Kochi Port.
The vessels built by ABG Shipyard, Surat, are the ninth and tenth ships of the class and are propelled by water jets. They will have an endurance of 500 nautical miles and are capable of doing speeds up to 45 knots.
These ships, specially designed for coastal operations, are also fitted with latest navigation and communication equipment and medium range armament.
C-150 and C-151 will be based at Vizhinjam in Kerala and Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh respectively and will further strengthen the coastal security capabilities of the Indian Coast Guard.
Coast Guard commissions station at Ratnagiri
A new Coast Guard Station at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra (ICGS, Ratnagiri) was commissioned by Vice Admiral Anil Chopra, Director General Coast Guard, on Saturday.
ICGS Ratnagiri will function under the administrative and operational control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (West) through the Commander, Coast Guard Distt HQ-2 (Maharashtra) located at Mumbai. Commandant BH Kumbhare has been appointed as the first Commanding Officer of the station.
The new station at Ratnagiri is expected to play an effective role in undertaking joint coastal patrol along with police, customs and fisheries department to thwart maritime security threats.
One more station at Dahanu in Maharashtra has been planned for the current year. In addition, setting up of a Coast Guard Air Station at Ratnagiri is also on the anvil.
This will be the first full-fledged air station of the Coast Guard in Maharashtra, and will play a crucial role in maritime surveillance and search-and-rescue operations along the coast of Maharashtra, according to a Coast Guard press statement.
