Another OPV becomes a part of ICG fleet, to be based at New Mangalore
S Vishnu Sharmaa, INN/Chennai, @Svs037
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) had every reason to celebrate on 25 September. For that was the day when fourth Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) joined its ever vigilant fleet of ships.
The ship became a part of the Coast Guard soon after it was commissioned by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Commissioning took place in the presence of ICG director general Krishnaswamy Natarajan.
This ship is the fourth in series of seven 98 m OPVs ordered by Ministry of Defence. As per legends āVaraha,ā is the third incarnation of lord āVishnuā who took the form of a boar to rescue goddess earth from the ocean by lifting her on his tusks. Ā
Defence Ministry gave orders for OPVs in 2015 for seven such ships. āVarahaā is a projection of Indian Coast Guardās will and commitment to āServe and Protectā the maritime interest of the nation. The ship will be based at New Mangalore, Karnataka under the operational and administrative control of the Commander Coast Guard Region (West).
The OPV has been designed and built indigenously by Larsen and Toubro Ltd at Chennai and is fitted with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machineries.
It features a 30 mm gun and 12.7 mm gun with FCS for the fighting efficiency of the ship. It also features Integrated Bridge System (IBS), Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), Automated Power Management System (APMS) and High Power External fire fighting system.
The ship is designed to carry one twin engine helicopter and four high speed boats including two rigid hull inflatable boats for swift boarding operation, search and rescue, law Enforcement and Maritime Patrol.
The ship is also capable of carrying pollution response equipment to contain oil spill at sea. The ship draws approx 2100 tons (GRT) propelled by two 9100 kw diesel engine to attain a maximum speed of 26 knots and has an endurance of 5000 nm at economical speed.Ā
The ship, on joining Coast Guard fleet at New Mangalore, will be deployed extensively for EEZ surveillance and other duties as enshrined in the Coast Guard charter, to safeguard the maritime interest of India.
Presently, Indian Coast Guard has a fleet of 134 ships and boats and 62 aircrafts. 63 ships are at various stages of construction at different shipyards in India.
ICGS Varaha is commanded by Commandant Dushyant Kumar and has compliment of 14 officers and 89 men. The commissioning of ICGS Varaha will enhance the Indian Coast Guardās operational capability to discharge the multifarious maritime tasks.
The induction of a sophisticated and state-of-the-art Offshore Patrol Vessel will give a fillip to the maritime protection of our vast coastline of Western Seaboard in general and the maritime state of Karnataka and Maharashtra in particular.