HE the Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday launched a new fleet of boats that were recently added to the General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security. 
These include a 48m-long boat, rated as one of the best marine boats in the world, for surveillance and reconnaissance operations, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said in a statement.
This came during the inauguration of the Al Daayen Naval Base in the Sumaysimah area, northern Qatar, yesterday.
The Hercules 150 type boat is the largest in the fleet of long-distance boats with a length of 48m, width of 9m and speed of 35 knots. It can stay at sea for six consecutive days without refuelling and has the ability to respond quickly and flexibility in movement and naval manoeuvres. The fleet also includes the Hercules 75 type boat with a length of 24m and width of 5m, meant to carry out maritime security duties.
The directorate has a large number of modern boats and cruisers covering the country’s maritime area in order to protect the Qatari coast. It also provides assistance and marine services for beach visitors and water sports enthusiasts round the clock through routine patrols near the coast and the team of operations and special missions, the statement notes.
The directorate is also responsible for conducting search and rescue operations for persons and maritime vessels. It also guards ports, marine, industrial and oil installations in addition to providing security coverage of the waterfront during the conferences, festivals, events and sports activities in the country, the official Qatar News Agency adds.
The new premises contribute to carrying out security functions through its capabilities such as the seaport, which includes a dock with a depth of up to 6m, which accommodates the largest marine boats at the directorate, according to Lt Col Abdul Aziz Ali al-Mohannadi, assistant director-general of Coasts and Borders Security.
“The General Directorate is divided into four departments, namely the Administrative Affairs Department, Operations Department, External Regions Department and Logistics Department. Some departments have sections outside the directorate building,” he said.
The base accommodates a medical clinic, a civil defence office, an administration building, manufacturing and maintenance plants, an operations room, a seaport, a naval training centre and weapons depots. The administration building includes an integrated sports gymnasium with two Olympic swimming pools, three playgrounds and a closed shooting range. 
Besides, an officers’ accommodation with 150 beds, quarters for other ranks with a 1,600-bed facility, a hotel with 50 rooms and 25 suites, a business centre to serve the directorate’s staff, a mosque and various other facilities are also provided on the premises.
The new building contributes to improving and developing services provided to the public. The directorate provides maritime assistance to sea travellers through the emergency number (999), which is transferred to the Operations Room.
The new building also provides an opportunity to create modern plants of the highest quality for manufacturing and maintaining different types of boats and marine vessels without any foreign assistance, the ministry said.
“The directorate is keen to strengthen its fleet with outstanding equipment and boats to enable it to perform the tasks entrusted to it in full. It also ensures that human cadres keep pace with the modernised premises and equipment,” the official added.
Yesterday’s launch event included a presentation by the directorate’s search and rescue team.
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