Singapore orders new patrol vessels

The Singapore government has placed an order with Damen Shipyards Singapore for 10 specially-designed coastal patrol craft worth $85 million which includes the provision of training, spares and other services. The newbuildings will be bigger, faster and better than the current fleet of Police Coast Guard craft which will be replaced when the new vessels come into service in the next two years.

The present fleet was built between 1979 and 1980 for the Singapore Navy and were handed down to the Police Coast Guard from 1993 as part of organisational upgrading

Designated ‘Damen Stan Patrol 3507’, the new 35 metre-long monohull vessels will have a displacement of 140 tonnes and come fully-equipped with navigation systems that allow officers to watch what goes on in the seas at night. A special ship monitoring system is also installed as extra pairs of eyes for officers keeping watch in the engine room.

Other features of the new vessels include a stabilised 25 millimetre gun system, which is an improvement from the present vessels which only has 20 millimetre guns and are 23 metres in length.

This is all part of efforts by the Police Coast Guard to meet new security challenges at sea including countering terrorism, robbery at sea, illegal immigration, and smuggling.