REFIT MEET: Coast Guard Eastern Region Commander, Rajender Singh (right) and Chief Staff Officer, B.S. Yadav, in Chennai on Friday. — Photo: R. Ragu

CHENNAI: Three of the Coast Guard's mainstay ships, the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), would have been decommissioned by now, if the force had stayed with the `book.' OPVs are decommissioned after 20 years.

Another five would have to be decommissioned between 2008 and 2010. Then, the force would have been left with one OPV, the CGS Varaha, in the Vikram class, commissioned in 1992. But that has not happened. Realising the crippling effect any move to decommission would have on the force, the Coast Guard brought together its engineers, executive officers and decision makers to thrash out a solution.

Thus was born the annual refit conference, the second edition of which was held in the Eastern region headquarters, Chennai, on Friday. It discussed emerging issues relating to technology and spares and chalked out possible solutions.

The Coast Guard headquarters will examine these solutions before taking them up for implementation.

"The conferences have helped a great deal," said Abhijit K. Dey, Director, Fleet Management, Coast Guard headquarters, New Delhi.

It was after a great deal of deliberations that the force arrived at a decision to extend the life of the OPV to 26 years and nine months and that of the fastest craft in Indian waters, the Fast Patrol Vessel, from 15 years to 23 years and seven months.

"One has to consider the nature of upgrades or refits needed, the cost involved and take a decision," DIG Dey said. He was here to attend the refit conference.

"If we needed to extend the life of the OPV to 30 years, then the costs will be significantly higher. That's why we chose a lifetime that suited our budget, needs and requirements," he added.

Coast Guard ships stay longer at sea because of their mandates, cruise faster when involved in a chase or while heading for a disaster zone and require high manoeuvrability.

The Coast Guard has a fleet of 59 ships, boats and hovercraft. Another three vessels will be added by December.

The maintenance of the fleet costs about Rs.100 crore each year and almost Rs. 60 crore is spent on refits alone.

In the past three years, the Coast Guard has had no cost or time overruns on any of its refits or maintenance works, DIG Dey said. In fact, some works have been completed in record time.

When the tsunami hit the Chennai port on December 26, 2004, two Coast Guard vessels anchored there were among those badly damaged. Part of the Offshore Patrol Vessel, CGS Vikram, was ripped open.

After a patchwork in Chennai, the ship was sent to Visakhapatnam for repairs. In just under three months, the ship was back on duty.

Rajinder Singh, Commander, Coast Guard Region (East), who inaugurated the conference, stressed on the need to cut down lead time for replacement of parts, timely completion of refit and standardisation of equipment.

He said the present fleet had to be ready for any eventuality at all times. The conference will also discuss the new generation ships that are to be inducted and the technical challenges these pose, said B.S. Yadav, Chief Staff Officer, Coast Guard Region (East).

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