| Maldivian Coast Guard | |
|---|---|
| File:Maldivian Coast Guard Logo.jpg Coast Guard Badge |
|
| Active | 1 January 1980 - Present |
| Country |  Maldives |
| Branch | Maldives National Defence Force |
| Type | Coast Guard |
| Commanders | |
| Commandant | Brigadier General Ahmed Shahid (Principle Adviser on Maritime Operations) [1] |
| Principle Director | Colonel Ismail Shareef [1] |
| Director | Major Mohamed Saleem[1] |
The Maldivian Coast Guard is the naval or maritime arm of the Maldivian National Defence Force. With the absence of a navy in the country, the MNDF Coast Guard functions as the armed maritime force of the nation with a charter to contribute to national defence and by and large to respond to issues related to the maritime security of the nation. Therefore, the Coast Guard is documented as the custodian of the Maldives Maritime Domain. Maritime security is a constituent ingredient of the national security in a maritime nation such as the Maldives and its significance is best understood when one perceives the island or the archipelagic nature of the country. [2].
As the new Government took power in 2008 the Coast Guard has been the highest priority of the Defense sector in Maldives. Four Coast Guard Squadrons are deployed to South, Central and North of Maldives. And a Strategic Reserve is established at the Capital Male'.
Contents |
Missions [link]
- Defending the nation and its territorial integrity
- Protecting the territorial waters and securing the resources of the EEZ
- Safeguarding the marine environment
- Enforcing the Maritime Law
- Assisting the people and conducting search and rescue missions
- Responding to national emergencies and crises
- Providing support and mobility to other services of the MNDF
History [link]
The roots of the MNDF Coast Guard lie in the 1570s Kalhuoffummi, as its insignia symbolizes, the legendary sailing boat used by the heroic Mohamed Thakurufaanu and his allies in his guerrilla battle to free the country from the invasion of the Portuguese. Until the establishment of the modern Coast Guard in 1980, the small speed boat section of the National Security Service was the maritime security service in the Maldives and it lays claim on being the Maldives oldest continuous seagoing force. The Coast Guard was officially established as a separate wing of the defence forces on 1 January 1980 with the late Colonel Hussain Fulhu as its first Commanding Officer. [2]
The MNDF Coast Guard was raised and has expanded quite significantly over the past years. It has grown in terms of its fleet, reach and capabilities. Today the MNDF Coast Guard is a versatile and modern force that is capable of dispelling a range of maritime threats by identification and interception well before they reach the shores. [2]
Roles [link]
Consequently, The MNDF Coast Guard has a dual role, with the strategic military application settling within the parameters of national defence and territorial integrity as the primary task while its secondary role is aimed at relatively non military aspects of maritime security which covers areas such as maritime terrorism, transnational crime, drug trafficking through maritime routes, smuggling, piracy and so forth. In times of peace, Coast Guard is popular as a force of goodwill due to its endeavors in building bridges of friendship with the public. It reaches out to people and save their lives by intensely conducting well planned and executed Search and Rescue (SAR) operations at sea and assume other humanitarian roles in crises when the public is in need. [2]
Whilst most other military services of the MNDF are either at standby or training for the unseen hostile actions, the Coast Guard is deployed every day. With decentralized Coast Guard squadrons placed at Area Commands in North, Central and South of Maldives and a strategic reserve at the capital Male’ under the new Strategic Defence Directive, and much responsibility placed on even the most junior sailors, the Coast Guard is frequently lauded for its quick responsiveness and adaptability in a broad range of tasks and emergencies. [2]
Strength [link]
Its capabilities were strengthened and modernised after the 3 November 1988 attack by PLOTE terrorists. [2]
After the 1988 incident, 6 British patrol craft were acquired. These were 4 Tracker II class, 1 Dagger class and 1 Cheverton class ships. In 1998, 3 vessels were built at the Colombo Dockyard. These are 2 Coastal Surveillance Vessels of 24 meters, CGS Ghazee and CGS Iskandhar and 1 Fast Landing Craft of 20 metres length. The CGS also acquired a 17 meter fire fighting vessel. [2]
After the 2004 Tsunami, the need for larger vessels with off-shore patrol capabilities were given a high priority. The Indian Navy donated a Trinkat class patrol vessel of 46 metres length in April 2006, commissioned as CGS Huravee and is commanded by Lieutenant Mohamed Jamshad. Lt. Jamshad was previously was the executive officer of CGS Huravee. [2]
The Maldives Coast Guard recently acquired two additional large offshore patrol craft, constructed at the Colombo Dockyard, Sri Lanka. These vessels are 42m and 35m in length. The 35m patrol craft was brought to Male on 21 April 2007 and commissioned as CGS Shaheedh Ali, commanded by Lieutenant Moahmed Fahumy. Lt Mohamed Fahumy was previously the executive officer of CGS Shaheed Ali.The 42m vessel was brought to Male on 11 November 2007 and commissioned as CGS Ghaazee. It is commanded by Lieutenant Ahmed Fathih. Lt Fathih was previously the executive officer of CGS Ghaazee. [2]
The Ghazee was renamed CGS Nooradheen after the Sultan who first founded the Maldivian armed forces on 21 April 1892. In addition to these, the Coast Guard operates some small in-shore patrol craft.
Fleet [link]
- 4 x Tracker Mk II class Patrol Boat 1978-1979
- 133 Kaani
- 142 Kuredhi
- 151 Midhili
- 1 x Tracker Class Patrol Boat
- 106 Nirolhu 1987-present
- 1 x 17m class Patrol Boat 1980
- 115 Burevi 1988
- 1 x Dagger class Patrol Boat 1982
- 124 Funa
- 1 x Cheverton class
- 2 x Israeli Shaldag class WPB 24m - similar to Ultra Fast Attack Craft
- CGS Ghazee 42m 2002-present - now CGS Nooradheen
- CGS Iskandhar 1999-present
- 1 x Hamilton Jet Model HM422 Fast Landing Craft (WLCM) 2000-present [3]
- L-301
- 1 x 17m fire rescue boat - modified patrol boat
- E-9 Fire and Rescue
- 1 x Trinkat Class Fast Attack Craft
- CGS Huravee
- 1 x 42m Patrol Craft
- 1 x 35m Patrol Craft
- CGS Shaheedh Ali
- 1 x Indian SDB Mk3 Class (WPC)
- CGS Hurawee - ex-Tillanchang T62 (1999) 2006-present
- several RHIB
References [link]
External links [link]
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https://wn.com/Maldivian_Coast_Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with search and rescue functions and lacking any law enforcement powers. However, a typical coast guard's functions are distinct from typical functions of both the navy (a pure military force) and a transportation police (a civilian law enforcement agency).
History
The modern Her Majesty's Coastguard of the United Kingdom was established in 1809 as the Waterguard, and was originally devoted to the prevention of smuggling as a department of the HM Customs and Excise authority. It was, however, also responsible for giving assistance to shipwrecks.
Each Water Guard station was issued with Manby's Mortar which was invented by Captain George William Manby in 1808. The mortar fired a shot with a line attached from the shore to the wrecked ship and was used for many years up and down the coastline. This began the process in which the Coastguard assumed a life saving role. In 1821 a committee of inquiry recommended that responsibility for the Preventative Water Guard be transferred to the Board of Customs. The Treasury agreed and in a Minute dated 15 January 1822, directed that the preventative services, which consisted of the Preventative Water Guard, cruisers, and Riding Officers should be placed under the authority of the Board of Customs and in future should be named the Coast Guard. In 1845 the Coastguard was subordinated to the Admiralty.
Swedish Coast Guard
The Swedish Coast Guard (Swedish: Kustbevakningen) is a Swedish civilian government agency tasked with:
The Swedish Coast Guard carries out some of its surveillance by air (from its base at Skavsta Airport south-west of Stockholm), and in the winter-time by hovercraft on the ice-covered waters of the Bothnian Bay from its Luleå station. The Coast Guard also has regular maritime duties in Vänern, Europe's third largest lake, operating out of Vänersborg.
Organization
The Coast Guard has 26 coastal stations, including an aviation coastal station. The stations fall under four regional areas; North (KRN), East (KRO), West (KRV) and South (KRS); with the regional headquarters located in Härnösand, Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Karlskrona respectively. Four management centers controls the daily operational activities and there is also at least one duty officer around the clock. The Coast Guard's central headquarters is located in the historic 17th century naval city of Karlskrona, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Coast Guard (Haiti)
The Haitian Coast Guard, officially the Haitian Coast Guard Commission (French: Commissariat des Gardes-Côtes d’Haïti) or G-Cd'H, is an operational unit of the Haitian National Police. It is one of the few law enforcement organisations in the world to combine water policing and coast guard duties while remaining as a policing unit. It operates primarily as a law enforcement agency, with secondary responsibilities in search and rescue.
History
The Haitian Coast Guard was formed in the late 1930s, 20 years after the disbandment of the Haitian Navy, and was equipped with two small picket boats named 1 and 2 and the 161-ton Sans Souci. The latter was formerly the American yacht Captain James Taylor.
During World War II, six 83-foot cutters, named 1 through 6, were transferred from the US Coast Guard in 1942. Three 121-ton SC class submarine chasers, Touissaint L'Ouverture, 16 Aout 1946, and Admiral Killick, were transferred in 1947, along with the 47-ton cutter Savannah and the light transport Vertières. The two picket boats were withdrawn at this time.
