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Police deploy 'biggest' patrol boat to curb illegal fishing in Natuna
The patrol vessel is stationed in Batam and operates in the waters off Riau Islands. It has a brig for offenders on its lower deck.
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Police officers pose in front of the country's "biggest" patrol vessel, the Yudistira 8003, on June 15 in Batam, Riau Islands. (JP/Fadli)
T
he Water Police Directorate at the National Police officially deployed the Yudistira 8003 patrol ship, called "the police's biggest patrol vessel", in the waters off Batam, Riau Islands province, on Saturday to prevent rampant illegal fishing.
The largest patrol vessel in the country would be mainly operated around the waters of Natuna, Indonesia’s northernmost border islands. The area is located between Singapore, the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo.
“The boat will function as the water police’s command center. Preventing illegal fishing in the Natuna waters will be its main duty,” said Brig. Gen. Lotharia Latif, the head of the police’s Security Maintenance Agency (Baharkam), on Saturday.
The boat, which was built in 2018, is 74 meters in length and 11 m in height and has a maximum speed of 18 knots. The vessel needs about three days to motor from Batam to Natuna.
“It is also equipped with a brig, which is placed on the lower deck,” Latif said, adding that as many as 56 police officers were deployed on the boat, which can accommodate up to 70 persons in total.
Riau Islands Police chief Insp. Gen. Andap Budhi Revianto said it was an honor for the province to host and manage the biggest patrol boat in the country.
“The province’s water security should be well-addressed as it has more seas than land,” Andap said. He added that the Riau Islands currently had 30 patrol boats operating in seven different areas. (vny)
