PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU (DEFENCE WING)
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
‘हर काम देश के नाम’
INDIAN COAST GUARD CONDUCTS 20TH NATIONAL MARITIME
SEARCH AND RESCUE BOARD MEETING IN GUJARAT
Ahmedabad
Friday, 18 November 2022
The 20th National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board meeting in the series of Annual Maritime Search and Rescue (M-SAR) Meetings was held by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Friday, November 18, 2022 in Kevadia, Gujarat.
Director General VS Pathania, PTM, TM, Director General Indian Coast Guard, and Chairman National Maritime Search and Rescue Board served as the meeting’s chairs, respectively. The NMSAR Board, which consists of 31 members from various central ministries and agencies, military personnel, and representatives from all Coastal States and Union Territories, convenes once a year to discuss policy matters, develop guidelines and procedures, and evaluate the effectiveness of the National Maritime Search and Rescue Plan and the services provided to mariners and fishermen in the enormous 4.6 million Sq km Indian Search and Rescue Region (ISRR).
In his inauguration speech, the Chairman emphasised a number of steps taken by the Indian Coast Guard in collaboration with other stakeholders and resource agencies to strengthen the M-SAR services provided under the Board’s auspices. The National Maritime Search and Rescue Plan-2022 was introduced at the conference by Director General VS Pathania, PTM, TM, Chairman National Maritime Search and Rescue Board. The M-SAR system is to be operated in accordance with an integrated and coordinated strategy, and the SAR plan serves as a policy document for all participating agencies and stakeholders. It also aims to increase the capacity and capability of SAR services in India. AAI and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) collaboratively created the Search and Rescue Aid Tool-Integrated (SARAT-I) version 1.0, which was also unveiled at the meeting.
The software was created to incorporate the line datum probability algorithm’s portrayal of the most likely area during an aeronautical contingency over the ocean. The launch of the programme is pending a final evaluation. It is intended to assist in the hunt for missing aircraft after they lose communication with Air Traffic Control (ATC) or shore-based RADAR. Technical presentations by subject experts from ICG, ISRO, Maharashtra State Fisheries, and Karnataka State Fisheries were also made, in addition to discussions on various maritime safety issues and identifying areas for improvement of SAR services through policy framework and awareness programmes.
These presentations were followed by brainstorming sessions and discussions on Agenda Points from the stakeholders. Every year, the NMSAR Board honours the SAR efforts of commercial seafarers, government-owned vessels, ashore units, and fishermen in recognition of their valiant actions in providing aid to distressed maritime entities in a variety of capacities. The Chairman presented the SAR awards for the years 2021–2022, which fall into four categories: SAR awards for merchant ships, SAR awards for fishermen, SAR awards for government-owned units, and SAR awards for ashore units. The Panama- and India-flagged ships MV Alliance and Santiago received the SAR Award for Merchant Vessel jointly. Mr. Ram Das, Master of the West Bengal-registered fishing boat Krishna Narayan, received the SAR award for fishermen.
Additionally, the ICG Ship Anmol and the MFV Blufin of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep administration received the SAR Award for Government Owned Units, while Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) received the SAR Award for the Ashore Unit for quick rescue coordination efforts on behalf of its sub-unit VTS Khambhat. In his final remarks, the Chairman expressed appreciation for the collective efforts made by all parties involved to achieve the shared goal of ensuring a safer marine environment for seafarers in the Area of Responsibility (AoR).