FROM just 35 incidents in 2006, the number of suspicious craft the Police Coast Guard has chased away from Singapore's waters escalated to 245 last year. In the first six months of this year alone, there were 143 such cases.
The Coast Guard also conducted 18 successful interception operations, with 55 people such as illegal immigrants arrested, and seven boats and contraband items worth $845,000 seized.
With maritime security identified as one of Singapore's top homefront security priorities, the Coast Guard has received a much-needed boost to its operational capabilities.
Ten new Shark Class coastal patrol craft, costing $17 million each, will replace the existing craft that have served the Republic for close to 30 years - first in the Republic of Singapore Navy, and then in the Coast Guard since 1993.
Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng called the investments "worthwhile". Noting Singapore has a porous sea border 182 km long, he said it takes an average swimmer about 30 minutes to cross from Malaysia; a speedboat takes two to three minutes.
With more than 400 vessels plying Singapore's water each day, Mr Wong said "differentiating between the genuine and the illegal seafarers among them is a daily challenge" for the Coast Guard.
Compared to their predecessors, the new Shark Class coastal patrol craft promises longer sea endurance, better surveillance and a greater punch. It can stay out at sea for three days instead of two, sailing at 20 knots, without refuelling.
The Shark Class coastal patrol craft will also be armed with an automatic firing control system, which can compute and compensate for the movement of targets, and adjust the trajectory of the 28mm gun.
Three new patrol craft, which are designed in the Netherlands but built locally, are already in service. The rest will be introduced by next year.
The Coast Guard has also built a $29-million Integrated Tactical Training Centre to enhance officer training, with simulators that can provide training in the use of firearms, navigation and systems and boat handling. The centre - which will allow some training to be carried out on land - will save some $5 million a year in fuel and maintenance costs
The Coast Guard said it is also extending the 27km of physical barriers around the coastline by more than 40km.
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