Sri Vijaya Puram | 30 December 2025
By Tarun Karthick
In a significant move to strengthen coastal security and ensure sustained 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 M/s Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE), Kolkata.
The CAMC was finalised on a nomination basis in the presence of Cmde Samir Bera (Retd.), Additional General Manager of GRSE, and Mr. Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal, IPS, Director General of Police, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The Fast Interceptor Boats were supplied to the A&N Police during 2010–11 under Phase-I of the Coastal Security Scheme (CSS) of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The vessels were designed, constructed and delivered by GRSE, a Government of India public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence.
Earlier, the annual maintenance of these FIBs was successfully carried out by GRSE until July 2017. However, subsequent efforts to finalise maintenance through open tendering failed due to non-participation of competent bidders. Interim and piecemeal repair works undertaken thereafter proved inefficient, costly and unsustainable. Given the critical role of Fast Interceptor Boats in coastal surveillance, the vessels were subsequently maintained by in-house PMF technical staff. However, the non-availability of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) spares and proprietary components in the Islands led to procurement delays and extended downtime of the vessels.
To address these challenges, the CAMC has been finalised to ensure OEM-level technical support, assured supply of genuine spares and reduced downtime. The contract will be valid for a period of three years after a mobilisation period of 60 days.
The CAMC covers preventive, routine and breakdown maintenance, deployment of trained technical personnel, supply of spares and consumables, and maintenance of prescribed operational performance parameters. It also provides for regular performance monitoring and reporting.
The contract is expected to significantly enhance the operational availability of PMF vessels and further reinforce coastal security in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
