The Qatari Coast Guard’s new main base was officially inaugurated on 14 July, a milestone event in the major expansion in the force’s capabilities.
An Ares 150 Hercules OPV is seen in the harbour at Al-Daayeen Naval base during the inauguration. (Qatari Ministry of Interior)
Located about 30 km north of Doha and called the Al-Daayen Naval Base, the facility was opened by Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, who serves as interior minister as well as prime minister. The coastguard is part of the Interior Ministry’s General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security (GDCBS).
“Today we witnessed the inauguration of Al-Daayen Naval Base and the launch of new naval boats for the General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security; a milestone for strengthening the security strategy of our country and meeting the requirements of maritime security in Qatar,” Sheikh Abdullah said following the inauguration.
The base covers 640,000 m 2 and includes operations and training centres, and boat manufacturing and maintenance facilities. It has accommodation for 150 officers and 1,600 enlisted personnel, as well as a hotel with 25 suites and 50 rooms, the Qatari media reported.
The Qatari Coast Guard’s new support ship. (Al-Rayyan TV)
Many of the coastguard’s newly acquired vessels were on display during the ceremony, including the two Ares 150 Hercules offshore patrol vessels (OPVs): the largest type operated by the GDCBS. The two OPVs were part of an order announced in April 2014 that also included 10 Ares 110s, and five Ares 75s. Another three Ares 150 and six Ares 80 SAT craft will be delivered under a follow-up order announced in 2018.
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