Hellenic Coast Guard


The Hellenic Coast Guard is the national coast guard of Greece. Like many other coast guards, it is a paramilitary organization that can support the Hellenic Navy in wartime, but resides under separate civilian control in times of peace. It was founded in 1919 by an Act of Parliament and the legal framework for its function was reformed in 1927.

Organization

The Hellenic Coast Guard Force is currently under the authority of the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, which is headed by the Senior Coast Guard Officer who has the rank of vice admiral.
The basic roles of the Hellenic Coast Guard are law enforcement at sea, search and rescue, marine safety, preventing sea pollution, fisheries patrolling, preventing illegal immigration and drug interdiction.
In order to perform these roles, the Coast Guard operate a number of patrol boats of various sizes and different types. On land the Hellenic Coast Guard is equipped with cars and motorcycles.
The Hellenic Coast Guard operates the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Piraeus and the Emergency Radio Communications Station SXE at Aspropyrgos. The Hellenic Coast Guard also operates the Vessel Traffic Service at busy sea lanes, currently around the ports of Piraeus, Elefsis, Lavrion and Rafina.
Between May 21, 1964 and 1980 the Hellenic Coast Guard had its own special flag, which was derived from the Greek Ensign with the addition of the crossed anchors badge on the center of the white cross.

Role and responsibilities

The main activities of the Hellenic Coast Guard are defined in the present legislation and specified within its institutional framework of operation. These activities are the following:
Most officers in recent years are graduates from higher education establishments, including the Merchant Marine Academies. After recruitment new officers study for four years at the Hellenic Naval Academy. Petty officers are trained for two years at Palaskas Naval Training Centre and lower rank enlisted men are trained at Scholi Limenofylakon at Piraeus, for a duration of two years. With law Law 4029 of 2011, a volunteer Auxiliary Coast Guard was established. The Officers of the Hellenic Coast Guard have the same ranks as the Officers of the Hellenic Navy and similar insignia, replacing the curl with two crossed anchors. The Petty Officers also use rank insignia similar to those of the Hellenic Navy, replacing the speciality symbol with the crossed anchors badge.

Ranks and Insignia

Fleet

As of 2015, the structure of the Hellenic Coast Guard predicts a fleet consisting of five Offshore Patrol Vessels sized 45–60 metres in length and of 300-450 tonnes displacement, six to twelve Patrol boats with lengths of 25–30 metres and more than fifty Coastal Patrol Vessels of various types with lengths of 14–20 metres. In addition the Hellenic Coast Guard operates a large number of fast Rigid-Inflatable Boat /Special Forces vessels as well as eleven Lifeboats. Currently the Hellenic Coast Guard fleet in its totality consists of approximately 240 vessels of all types.
Model & ClassPhotoTypeLength Displacement OriginIn serviceNotes
Sa'ar 4.5OPV58450 / 3Vessels ΛΣ-060, ΛΣ-070 and ΛΣ-080 are weapon-downsized/modified FACs, each fitted with an OTO Breda 30mm/70 gun as main armament and two remote controlled 0.50" heavy machine guns but without anti-ship missiles.
Speed of 34.5 knots.
Stan Patrol 5509OPV58,57001Vessel ΛΣ-090, built by Damen shipyards and delivered in October 2015. Weapon systems of choice to be installed are still unspecified.
Speed of 27-30 knots.
Vosper Europatrol 250 Mk1OPV47.33001Vessel ΛΣ-050 underwent significant maintenance and repairs and entered active service again following donations from the private sector. The boat can be armed with 40mm gun as main weapon system.
Speed of 40 knots.
Class Dilos .Patrol29866Vessels ΛΣ-010, ΛΣ-015, ΛΣ-020, ΛΣ-025, ΛΣ-030 and ΛΣ-040, all six boats are currently under consideration for decommissioning following extensive service; design by :de:Abeking & Rasmussen|Abeking & Rasmussen built by ENAE shipyards.
Speed of 27 knots.
Patrol24.62Vessels ΛΣ-617 and ΛΣ-618 have been delivered. The remaining four boats of the initial order will not be delivered following legal action of HCG against the manufacturer. Vessel ΛΣ-618 is equipped with an EMILY robotic SAR device. Each of the boats of the class will bear a.50" heavy machine gun.
Speed of 32 knots.
CB-90HCGCoastal Patrol / Combat15.9203Vessels ΛΣ-134 to ΛΣ-136. All are combat boats, each armed with two twin remote controlled 0.50" heavy machine guns and carry level IV armor plates.
Speed of 40-45 knots.
Javelin-74Coastal Patrol19.2273Vessels ΛΣ-192, ΛΣ-193 and ΛΣ-194
Speed of 50+ knots.
LCS-57 Mk.ICoastal Patrol18.22819Vessels ΛΣ-137 to ΛΣ-151 and ΛΣ-169 to ΛΣ-172.
Speed of 44 knots.
LCS-57 Mk.II coast guard station, Piraeus.Coastal Patrol19.22716Vessels ΛΣ-601 to ΛΣ-616.
Speed of 50+ knots.
LCS-53 Coastal Patrol16.82112Vessels ΛΣ-114 to ΛΣ-126.
Speed of 33 knots.
Olympic L65/74Coastal Patrol234ΛΣ-102 series
Olympic L-44Coastal Patrol14253ΛΣ-153 series
D-45Coastal Patrol13.9254
D-45MCoastal Patrol13.9255
Arun HalmaticLifeboat16371Vessel SAR-510
Lambro Halmatic 60 coast guard station, PiraeusLifeboat183710Vessels' series SAR-511 to SAR-520.
RIB Coastal Patrol10.3510All vessels are donation by SNF having speed of 50+ knots.
MIL-38Coastal Patrol11.8572Vessels ΛΣ-129 and ΛΣ-130.
Speed of 50-55 knots.
MIL-40Coastal Patrol1372Vessels ΛΣ-132 and ΛΣ-133.
Speed of 50-55 knots.
Madera MRCD-1250RIB Special Forces12,52Military grade boats for HCG's special forces, able to carry 10-12 troops each. Armed with 0.50" gun and two 7.62mm machine guns.
Speed of 49 knots.
Magna 110 Hurricane Mk.I/IIRIB Coastal Patrol10,82
Magna OndaCoastal Patrol11.75.42
Super OndaCoastal Patrol8.62.82
Magna 31RIB Coastal Patrol8.62.83One donated at 2014 by Dmitry Rybolovlev
Oceanic InterceptorRIB Coastal Patrol?
Gibli-1025RIB Coastal Patrol10,2512
Oceanic 9000 StealthRIB Coastal Patrol9218
Mostro Top Gun 864/964RIB Coastal Patrol9.3/9.91.4/1.619
Boston WhalerCoastal patrol, Diver support93ΛΣ-798. Donated by the USCG in 2004.
Halter Marine HSBCoastal patrol, Diver support1Donated by the USCG in 2004
WellcraftCoastal patrol, Diver support1Donated by the USCG in 2004
LS-413 Pollution control292403by Astilleros Gondan, Spain.
PollcatPollution control18.5853

Aircraft fleet

The Hellenic Coast Guard operates a small fleet of fixed wing aircraft based at Tatoi Air Base,. Its four AS 332 Super Puma Search and Rescue helicopters are operated by the Hellenic Air Force 384 Squadron, based at Elefsis Air Base, with mixed Air Force and Coast Guard crews.
AircraftPhotoIDTypeVersionsOriginIn serviceNotes
Eurocopter Super PumaSAR helicopterAS 332C4Operated by the Hellenic Air Force
Eurocopter AS365 DauphinHC-31 to HC-36Patrol helicopterAS 365N36Based at Kotroni Naval Air Station in cooperation with Hellenic Navy
Cessna 406 Caravan IIAC-21 to AC-23Maritime patrolF4063Built by Reims
Cessna 172 SkyhawkAC-1, AC-2Utility aircraft172RG2
Socata TBAC-3, AC-4Utility aircraftTB 202

HCG facilities

  1. New headquarters and VTMIS operations centre:
  2. Old headquarters and SAR coordination centre:
  3. Mooring for Open Sea Patrol Vessels :
  4. Coast Guard apron at Tatoi Air Base:
  5. Aspropyrgos Maritime Communications Radio Station SXE:
  6. Piraeus Central Port Authority:
  7. Enlisted men training facility :
  8. Piraeus VTMIS AIS receiver 002393200
  9. Psyttaleia Island VTMIS AIS receiver 002391100
  10. Patras VTS
  11. Thessaloniki VTS
  12. Corfu Island VTS
  13. Igoumenitsa VTS
  14. Lavrion VTS
  15. Rafina Port