《TAIPEI TIMES》Coast guard’s new patrol vessel ‘Yunlin’ enters service

Staff writer, with CNA

The Coast Guard Administration’s （CGA） new Yunlin patrol vessel would enhance maritime patrol capabilities in the south, President William Lai （賴清德） yesterday told a commissioning ceremony in Kaohsiung for the 4,000-tonne vessel.

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The Yunlin, one of four Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels ordered from shipbuilder CSBC Corp, Taiwan （台灣國際造船）, would join the coast guard’s Southern Sector Flotilla based in Kaohsiung, bolstering the unit’s ability to conduct patrols along with searches and rescues, Lai said.

The ship is equipped with three high-pressure water cannons with a range of 120m for dispersal tasks, the Ocean Affairs Council said.

In his speech, Lai said that the government’s autonomous shipbuilding projects have bolstered the nation’s shipbuilding capabilities and augmented Taiwan’s ability to patrol its own shores.

The nation would build 141 new coast guard ships from 2018 to 2027, he added.

The Yunlin would not only extend the coast guard’s ability to safeguard people’s livelihoods and property by broadening the area in which it can patrol, maintain order and investigate maritime trafficking, it would also contribute to the country’s humanitarian missions, he said.

He thanked CGA personnel for working tirelessly to maintain maritime order, combat smuggling and other illegal activities, and protect Taiwanese at sea.

Amid “increasing pressure from regional powers,” the coast guard’s workload would be even greater, Lai said, adding that he was confident in the CGA’s ability to fulfill its duties.

Maritime exploration would be an essential component of the government’s maritime policies, he said.

The government would invest in marine science and research with the aim of making Taiwan more competitive and extending the nation’s economic and industrial reach, he said.

The government would continue to refine marine regulations to attain sustainable maritime development, he said.

The Yunlin is the third 4,000-tonne Chiayi-class CGA patrol ship that has entered service, following the Chiayi and Hsinchu. The coast guard held a ceremonial launch for the Taipei in March.

The Chiayi-class ships can withstand level-10 winds and have a range of 10,000 nautical miles （18,520km）.

They also have a helicopter landing pad, allowing them to work alongside the Ministry of the Interior’s National Airborne Service Corps.

Additional reporting by Hung Chen-hung

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES