GSL to add 32 interceptor boats to coastal fleet
AGENCIES
PANJIM, SEPT 26
As many as 32 high-speed interceptor boats will be added to the fleet strength of the coastal police across the Indian coast by end of this month, according to the in-house journal of Goa Shipyard Limited.
GSL which won the order to construct these highly sophisticated glass reinforced plastic boats, will hand over its third batch of vessels to various coastal states by the end of September 2009, an article in the yard’s journal ‘Goayard Samachar’, said.
‘The construction of third batch of boats is in full swing for delivery to various states coastal security police as per the schedule promulgated by Ministry of Home Affairs,’ the GSL journal, says in its cover page report.
The article states that the first two batches of 12 Ships, were handed over to the states of Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Daman and Diu.
The construction process of these ships got impetus following Mumbai terror attack when security at sea and inland waters became imperative for the coastal states.
The article mentions that the delivery started with first interceptor boat (of five-tonne category) being delivered to Goa police on April 27, 2009 and in next two months till the end of June 2009, GSL rolled out a fleet of 12 boats to various states.
The Goayard Samachar claims that with the successful construction of these boats indigenously, GSL has ventured into construction for meeting the countrys coastal security needs.
The yard, which won Raksha mantra excellence award 2006-07 for best performing shipyard and design and for design and construction of offshore patrol vessels, is situated in the port town of Vasco, 40 kms away from here.
The five-tonne boat is 9.60 metres long capable of operating at 35 knots on full load. The boat can carry four crew members along with patrolling party of ten persons and fully equipped with life saving, fire fighting and communication facilities, GSL said.
The twelve-tonne boat is 13 meters long capable of operating at 35 knots and carrying four members, it said. GSL has said that the wheel house of these boats is fitted with antiballistic panels for protection of patrolling crew to withstand a threat on an AK-47 assault rifle.
