Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday led a ceremony for the launch of the first of four indigenous revenue cutter vessels commissioned by the Customs Administration.
The vessel, designated CP-10001, was ordered by the Customs Administration from shipbuilding company CSBC Corp, Taiwan, as part of the agency’s plan to replace older revenue cutters with locally built ships.
The first of four 100-tonnage class revenue cutters yesterday hit the water at CSBC headquarters in Kaohsiung’s Siaogang District (小港).
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
Also present at the launch were Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), Minister of Finance Su Jain-rong (蘇建榮) and CSBC chairman Cheng Wen-lon (鄭文隆).
Since 2000, the Customs Administration has used eight ships seconded from the Coast Guard Administration, Su Jain-rong said.
However, the age of the vessels has led to decreased deployments, resulting in a fall-off in the number of arrests of smugglers, the minister said.
With the addition of new ships to the fleet, the Customs Administration’s performance should improve, he added.
Premier Su lauded the agency’s efforts at fighting crime, stopping smugglers, preventing an influx of drugs and securing the borders from swine flu.
To fully help the agency fulfill its duties, the Executive Yuan is reviewing plans to commission eight more vessels, he said.
He also encouraged the CSBC to continue enhancing its shipbuilding capabilities.
Cheng said the new ship has a larger displacement volume and load capacity than older patrol and rescue vessels of the same class.
CSBC secured the contract to build the four revenue cutters in May 2020, it said.
Following delivery of the first ship, called Hai Long (海隆), the remaining three are to be delivered at three month intervals, the company said.
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