FROM any point on the high seas Jamaica can now monitor 96 miles of maritime space by means of a 360-degree radar monitoring device.

According to Lieutenant Miguel Ferguson, who helped to facilitate a media tour of Her Majesty’s Jamaica Ship (HMJS) Cornwall — one of the two new offshore surveillance vessels obtained by the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard — the detection capability of the radar is dependent on the size of the object, the radar effectiveness of the object, the sea state, weather, and visibility.

“If a contact or vessel is large enough and is radar effective enough, and the weather state is not bad, we are able to detect it from 96 nautical miles away, able to tag and track that contact and get basic information such as speed, time to the closest point we will pass the vessel, and name of the vessel if it does have an AIS (Automatic Identification System) name and so forth,” Ferguson said.

Other features of the vessel include real time CCTV feed around the ship, which allows crew to monitor distress signals via very high-frequency (vhf) signals; the ability to travel up to 26 knots; two-week sustenance at sea; fifi pumps or water canons used to fight fire; the ability to mount a 250-calibre rifle on board; and the capability of small boat called a rhib (rigid hull inflatable boat) which is incorporated inside the bay; the ability to travel up to 30 knots and used for high-speed chases, interdiction as well as search and rescue and two caterpillar diesel engines.

The main roles of the vessels at sea are search and rescue missions, fisheries protection, anti-narcotics and drug interdiction, assistance to other agencies, and port security.

The tour also featured the deployment of the rhib, a demonstration of the fifi pumps, and the communication process between the navigators to determine safe waters (depth to avoid running aground in shallow waters), distance and safest route to the destination.

The ship carries a crew of 16 people, can hold up to 50 individuals on a rescue mission, and has 30 life jackets on board for a rescue.

Lieutenant Commander Alvin Gayle, the commanding officer for HMJS Cornwall explained that the difference between the previous ships, which were traded, are the interior design and capabilities.

Commanding Officer of the JDF Coast Guard, Commander Antonette Wemyss-Gorman, expressed thanks to the Government for procuring the new vessels, and explained that without the offshore vessels the coast guards are not able to cover far away from the coastlines.

Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Rocky Meade said while three ships were traded for two, he is still grateful as, given the tight economic constraints of the Government, the JDF was still able to get an upgrade.