Republic of Mauritius- Coastal Surveillance Radar System implemented across eight NCG Stations

The Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, was replying to a Parliamentary Question, this morning, at the National Assembly, in Port Louis.  He detailed that the first phase comprised the installation of the system at Grand Gaube; Pointe du Diable, Gris Gris, Le Morne, Albion, Rodrigues stations as well as in the main Control Centre at the NCG Operation Room, in Les Salines.  The second phase covered sites at Agalega and St Brandon.

Moreover, he highlighted that the CSRS, which was commissioned in April 2011, also comprises five standalone AIS Stations located at Signal Mountain in Port Louis; Mount Bar le Duc in l’Esperance, Quartier Millitaire; Mount Simonet in Henrietta; Mount Jurancon in Surinam; and Mount Pointe du Diable.

The Pointe du Diable CSRS station, the Prime Minister indicated covers the North East, East and South East coast of Mauritius, that is, from Poste de Flacq to Blue Bay including Pointe D’Esny. As for the Gris Gris CSRS station, it covers the South East, South and South West coast, that is, Blue Bay to Bel Ombre.

The CSRS, Mr Jugnauth recalled, is manned and monitored round the clock by NCG Officers. The system, he highlighted, assists the NCG in monitoring the movements of vessels transiting in Mauritius’s territorial waters, and also complements in: expanding Maritime Domain Awareness; enhancing coastline and EEZ surveillance; improving monitoring of fisheries activities; and enhancing Search and Rescue capabilities.

In addition, the Prime Minister emphasised that besides the CSRS, the NCG uses other means of surveillance for enhancing maritime domain awareness such as: Automatic Identification System; Vessel Monitoring System; Global Maritime Distress and Safety System; Indian Ocean Regional Information Sharing; and Surveillance by ships, boats, aircraft and by NCG Posts.

NCG Officers based at CSRS stations use the system to identify and interrogate merchant vessels entering the territorial waters of Mauritius, stated the Prime Minister.  ‘Vessels which are not destined to Port Louis Harbour are directed to clear our coast’, he added.