Indian Coast Guard To Add 50 Vessels And 40 Aircraft To Its Armour Over The Next Four Years

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) will be adding 50 new vessels and 40 aircraft in the next four years, said K Natarajan, Additional Director-General and Coast Guard Commander Western Sea Board, reports Financial Express.

Natarajan, speaking to media at the Seventh Joint national-level Pollution Response Exercise, said that with this addition, the force would have 200 platforms, i.e. boats, ships and planes by 2022. In 2008, we had some 60 platforms, and today we have more than 150 rigs — ships and boats — and all are operational. He added that the number of aircraft too would be increased from 62 to 100 also.

The exercise’s highlight was the participation of ICG Samudra Pavak, the ICG Pollution Control Vessel. It also saw the involvement of other agencies like the Mumbai Port Trust, ONGC and the Shipping Corporation of India. Around, eleven ICG ships and an ICG Dornier maritime reconnaissance aircraft and as well as a Chetak helicopter also participated in this huge event along with other vessels.

The Coast Guard is the central coordinating authority for dealing with marine oil spills.

Natarajan said the Gulf of Kutch was the main route for oil trade and that 70 per cent of India’s oil transits through this area, through which our energy needs are met.

He said areas like as Jamnagar, Vadinar, Mundra and Kandla are mainly used for oil tanker movement. He concluded thus that international-level capacity was a need for containing oil pollution in the sea.