The Myanmar Coast Guard (Burmese: မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ ကမ်းခြေစောင့်တပ်ဖွဲ့) is a maritime law enforcement agency formed to safeguard Myanmar's ocean-based blue economy including marine tourism, maritime trade, deep seaport services, offshore oil and natural gas production and marine fishing, to prevent illegal trespassing in the seas, and to maintain the rule of law at sea.[2] The Myanmar Coast Guard has a constabulary role in the protection of maritime interests, provides search and rescue for victims in the sea, and works toward sea environmental conservation, monitoring a wide range of activities underwater and above water in Myanmar's water territory.[3]
History
Background
Until the 2020s, Myanmar was one of the few Asian countries that did not have a force dedicated to offshore patrol.[2] Maritime security was ensured by the Myanmar Navy and the Myanmar Police Force's Maritime Police. Operational demands eventually outstripped their abilities, and the superior operational and diplomatic benefits of a paramilitary organization were recognized.[4]