Coast Guard plans to base patrol vessel at NMP

MANGALURU: In a major step at augmenting coastal security in the backdrop of the 26/11 attack on Mumbai, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is planning to base a state-of-the art advanced offshore patrol vessel (AOPV) at New Mangalore Port at Panambur here. Coast Guard authorities will base this vessel once the New Mangalore Port Trust allots a dedicated berth to it at the port. Coast Guard has sought 180m of waterfront and one acre of land abutting the waterfront for this jetty.
The waterfront is right at the harbour edge on the western docks of the port.
A major reason for this is the ICG’s intent to station an AOPV here. The Coast Guard district headquarters three — Karnataka here at present has four offshore and inshore patrol vessels — Kasturba Gandhi, Savithri Bhai Phule, Rajdoot and Amartya. The proposal for the dedicated Coast Guard jetty is currently pending clearance with the ministry of surface transport.
Deputy inspector general Rajmani Sharma, commander, Coast Guard Karnataka, said as of now Coast Guard operations are not hindered by the lack of a dedicated jetty. “We owe it to New Mangalore Port Trust authorities who have been very accommodative to facilitate our unhindered operations to and from the port,” Rajmani told TOI.
Dedicated jetty will add to operational readiness of the Coast Guard in Karnataka and neighbouring Goa and up to Lakshadweep off Kerala.
The Coast Guard, over the next fortnight, will commission two interceptor boats at its station in Karwar. This will be in addition to the existing two interceptor craft already stationed there, he said, adding that these boats and craft will function from INS Kadamba at Karwar. “We have some local issues is getting land for the coast guard station at Karwar which is headed by Commandant G S Ralhi,” he said, adding efforts are on to resolve the issue locally.
For coastal surveillance, survey is on to establish a third remote station in Karnataka at Belekeri in Uttara Kannada district, Rajmani said.
Currently, there are two remote stations in the state at Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada and Suratkal in Dakshina Kannada. These remote stations have optronic and communication sensors that are functional, he said. Having another remote station at Belekeri will enhance seamless surveillance of the 320-km Karnataka coast, he said.