The Hindu Business Line : CCEA clears acquisition of 109 vessels

TO strengthen the marine capability of the Customs Department, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday approved the acquisition of 109 vessels at an estimated cost of Rs 153.85 crore.

As per the approval, of the 109 vessels, while 24 will be category-I vessels with a lower speed of 25 knots but a high endurance for coastal patrolling and surveillance, another 22 will be crafts placed in category-II, which will have a higher speed of 40 knots with lesser endurance. These would be useful for immediate interception of suspect vessels.

The remaining 63 vessels placed in category-III will be crafts with a relatively slow speed of about 15 knots as well as low endurance.

These would be useful for shallow waters, creeks and harbours. The expected life span of all the vessels to be acquired is about 15 years, which could be extended to 20 years with proper maintenance.

The need for acquiring these vessels has arisen, since the existing fleet , consisting of 116 vessels, is of seventies and eighties vintage and has a low speed. Faster vessels are essential, as there has been a shift in smuggling of commodities. Instead of the traditional items like gold, silver and watches, the preferred items for smuggling now are arms, ammunition, explosives such as RDX, fake Indian currency and narcotics. The interception of such items calls for a high state of alertness.