In a move aimed at strengthening coastal security and improving the operational readiness of maritime assets, the Andaman and Nicobar Police have finalised a Comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contract (CAMC) for four 12-ton Fast Interceptor Boats (FIBs) with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. (GRSE), Kolkata.
The agreement was concluded on a nomination basis in the presence of Commodore Samir Bera (Retd.), AGM, GRSE, and Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal, IPS, Director General of Police, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Officials said the contract is expected to significantly enhance the operational availability of police marine force vessels deployed for coastal surveillance.
The four Fast Interceptor Boats were originally supplied to the Andaman and Nicobar Police during 2010–11 under Phase-I of the Coastal Security Scheme (CSS) implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The vessels were designed, constructed and delivered by GRSE, a Government of India public sector undertaking functioning under the Ministry of Defence.
Earlier, GRSE had successfully executed the annual maintenance contract for these interceptor boats until July 2017. However, subsequent efforts to finalise maintenance arrangements through open tendering did not yield results, primarily due to the lack of participation by competent bidders. As a result, authorities were compelled to rely on interim and piecemeal repair measures, which officials later found to be inefficient, expensive and operationally unsustainable.
Given the critical role played by Fast Interceptor Boats in coastal surveillance and maritime security, the vessels were subsequently maintained by in-house technical staff of the Police Marine Force (PMF). However, officials noted that the absence of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) spares and proprietary components in the islands led to delays in procurement, resulting in extended downtime of the vessels.
Authorities said these limitations adversely affected operational readiness, prompting the need for a long-term, comprehensive maintenance solution. The newly finalised CAMC is expected to address these challenges by ensuring OEM-level technical support, assured supply of genuine spares and components, and a significant reduction in vessel downtime.
Under the terms of the contract, the CAMC will be valid for a period of three years, following a mobilisation period of 60 days. The scope of the agreement includes preventive, routine and breakdown maintenance of the Fast Interceptor Boats. It also provides for the deployment of trained technical personnel, supply of required spares and consumables, and maintenance of minimum operational performance parameters.
In addition, the contract incorporates provisions for regular performance monitoring and reporting to ensure sustained operational efficiency of the vessels throughout the contract period.
Officials said the CAMC is expected to play a crucial role in strengthening coastal security in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by improving the availability and reliability of maritime patrol assets operated by the Police Marine Force. The enhanced maintenance framework is also expected to ensure that interceptor boats remain operationally ready to respond to maritime threats and emergencies in the island territory’s sensitive coastal areas.
