NAY PYI TAW October 6
The third founding ceremony of the Coast Guard Control Headquarters of the Republic of Union of Myanmar and the launching ceremony of four 48-metre fast patrol boats to safeguard maritime interest and Myanmar coastal areas at No 3 jetty (Thilawa) this afternoon, addressed by Chairman of State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Present at the ceremony together with the Senior General were union level officials, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the Yangon command commander, Director General of the Coast Guard Control Headquarters Rear-Admiral Ko Ko Kyaw, commanders of the naval command headquarters, officers and other ranks of Tatmadaw (Navy) and Coast Guard Control HQ.
Rear-Admiral Ko Ko Kyaw reported on the points of the ships that would be commissioned into service.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing accepted the commemorative gift of the ceremony, a replica of a boat, presented by SAC member Union Minister for Defence Admiral Tin Aung San.
In his speech, the Senior General said it is an auspicious day on which four new 48-metre fast patrol boats are commissioned into service as the reinforcements for Myanmar Coast Guard and a new force is added to the Tatmadaw and the Coast Guard.
It is also the third founding ceremony of the Coast Guard established on 6 October 2021.
The Myanmar Coast Guard must be further developed with the broader aim of setting up a capable force that can ensure safety of maritime national interest and maritime environment from the main coastal areas to special economic zone of Myanmar sea and aerial territory.
The Coast Guard must cooperate with regional countries and neighbours in providing rescue operations in the humanitarian assistance sector and emergency assistance at the sea, which are its designated tasks. It must also discharge non-military maritime security duties such as anti-maritime illicit trade, port state control inspections.
It is included in the key actors of maritime environment protection that respond and solve maritime oil leakage and sea contamination in protecting the maritime ecosystem.
The country could annually expand the Coast Guard for enabling it to serve such a large array of duties. The country has nearly 1,300 miles long coastline,
1,400 islands and 143,110.72 square miles of territorial sea.
Hence, the Coast Guard must be reinforced with more boats, weapons, tools and human resources.
It has to extend relations with international organizations and inspect local and foreign freight vessels. So, its members should have comprehensive knowledge about the maritime laws, IMO regulations, and conventions and treaties agreed by Myanmar and should effective apply them for national interest. It must serve its duties in accord with the said laws.
In dealing with international maritime organizations, the Coast Guard should effectively apply White Hull Diplomacy, which states that the Coast Guard, which uses white vessels, must extend peaceful relations through diplomatic means, provide humanitarian aid, and collectively launch maritime security operations.
The Coast Guard has to launch non-military missions such as search and rescue operations, protection of maritime environment, prevention of the danger of sea pirates to protect civilians and the public in the form of welfare troops.
As Coast Guard is a civilian oriented troop that helps the people, it must help and save mariners, assist the functions of civilian port authorities, organizations, agencies; especially it must help the people in solving natural disaster problems, emergency situations, maritime issues and disputes. In doing so, it must closely deal with civilians and ensure the rule of law and safety of public lives.
So it should be an organization skilled in public relations.
As its members are the persons who protect the maritime interest of the country and maritime resources, they must be dutiful in serving the assigned task in cooperation with international and local maritime organizations. In accord with the motto of Myanmar Coast Guard “protect and defend our seas”, it must develop itself into an institution that have the capacity to protect Myanmar seas and maritime resources and can stand shoulder to shoulder with the capable international counterparts.
Chief Supervisor of the Coast Guard Control HQ Captain Kyaw Kyaw Lin declared the commissioning of the four boats, and raised of the State Flag, Coast Guard Flag, and commissioning flag, rang the bell eight times in accord with the procedure.
The Senior General and party were conducted around the commissioned boats. The Senior General signed the visitor’s book of the fast patrol boat.
The Senior General and party posed for documentary photo together with the guests.
They then looked around the compound of the Coast Guard Control HQ and looked into the requirements.
