Amidst the azure expanse of Port Blair, a pair of Indian Coast Guard vessels find their new moorings, one nestled at the northerly frontier near Diglipur, while its counterpart secures the southern edge at Campbell Bay. In a pronouncement via ‘X,’ the Indian Coast Guard heralded this relocation as a significant stride in bolstering the maritime vigilance around the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.
This strategic maneuver, as elucidated by the Indian Coast Guard, is poised to fortify coastal surveillance, enforce maritime law, surveil the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), execute search and rescue missions, swiftly respond to maritime crises, and combat marine pollution across the region.
Simultaneously, the Indian Coast Guard has tactically stationed additional hovercrafts at Jakhau, in proximity to the Indo-Pakistani maritime boundary, and positioned a capital ship at Vadinar, nestled within the Gulf of Kutch, as disclosed in an official communique released on Monday.
The ICGS Samudra Pavak, a specialized vessel dedicated to marine pollution control, now finds its operational base at the newly christened Coast Guard Jetty in Vadinar, inaugurated on March 1 by Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt.
The Gulf of Kutch, a burgeoning zone particularly in the realms of oil and port infrastructure, holds sway over 70 percent of the nation’s oil trade. Moreover, it boasts a trove of biodiversity, encompassing marine life, fisheries, coral ecosystems, and mangrove habitats, which are acutely susceptible to environmental degradation stemming from potential oil spills. Hence, the strategic deployment of specialized vessels by the Indian Coast Guard is poised to fortify its capacity in mitigating ecological perils, as affirmed in the statement.
Earlier, on March 25, the Indian Coast Guard ship Samudra Paheredar, a dedicated Pollution Control Vessel, docked at Manila Bay, Philippines, embarking on a three-day sojourn. This visit underscores a broader initiative aimed at showcasing the Indian Coast Guard’s prowess in marine pollution response and fostering collaborative efforts to combat marine pollution within the ASEAN region, thus fostering amicable ties with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
This overseas deployment to ASEAN territories, encompassing the Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei, spanning from March 25 to April 12, marks the third consecutive venture by the Indian Coast Guard into the ASEAN milieu.
In the preceding year of 2023, ICG Pollution Control Vessels traversed through Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia, as part of this concerted endeavor. Equipped with cutting-edge marine pollution control apparatus and a Chetak Helicopter configured for pollution response, these vessels stand poised to contain, recover, and counteract oil spills, thereby amplifying the efficacy of pollution control operations.
The demonstrations staged at visiting ports entail comprehensive Pollution Response training and a practical demonstration of the diverse array of equipment at the Indian Coast Guard’s disposal.
