Huwaisat Island, floating at the forefront of Saudi maritime borders in the southern waters of the Arabian Gulf, has border guards patrolling the island around the clock, covering a distance of 30 nautical miles north and south.
The Saudi border guards’ center boasts advanced naval radar capabilities covering up to 96 nautical miles in full span.
Saudi Interior Minister Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Abdulaziz inaugurated the Border Guard Center on the island on December 28, 2017.
The Huwaisat Center commander Major Mohammed Abdullah Al-Dossary stressed that one of the most important tasks of this modern center in the Arabian Gulf is to guard the Kingdom's maritime borders, combat smuggling and all sorts of violations.
However, Dossary said that the center takes into account first-response guidelines and enforces an early warning policy of any unusual movements along the border or its vicinity. He added that the border guards also carry out search and rescue, guidance and assistance missions.
The island enjoys a strategic location where it is bordered by the United Arab Emirates in the south and Qatar in the north. The overall area of the island is 150,000 square meter and is notably just a mile and a half from the UAE’s Gaga, Khardal and Ras Ghmeis Islands.
The waters of Huwaisat Island are guarded by Saudi naval patrols scouring the sea in different directions.
According to Dossary, these patrols operate around the clock through armed speedboats, which are equipped with surveillance and defense systems.
“The equipment you see in the island is evidence of dedicated and unbound support given by the Saudi leadership to strengthen security forces of border guards across land and sea ports to reinforce national security,” he explained.
Maritime communication systems and modern technology are used to communicate with the center’s control room.
According to the commander, there are a number of armed naval boats lined up on the floating platform, which patrol around the clock, and cover a distance of 30 nautical miles north and south.
The island has a desalination plant, indoor facilities, training classes for staffers, a 75 meter communications tower and a command and control room.
It also includes recreational facilities for the center's employees, a closed gymnasium, an outdoor playground, a mosque and electric generators.
As for the weather on the island, the temperature ranges from 20 to 35 degrees Celsius. The Border Guard Center also plays a role in preserving marine environment through notifying relevant authorities of any signs or possibilities of a pollution outbreak.
