Article Posted on : - Dec 04, 2015

KOCHI (PTI): Indian Navy's sail training ship INS Tarangini on Thursday returned after participating in tall ship races in European waters.

During her eight month long Lokayan-2015, INS Tarangini participated in tall ship races across Europe covering over 17,000 nautical miles visiting 17 ports in 14 countries.

INS Tarangini and Oman Naval ship RNOV Shabab Oman-II reached Kochi on Thursday after a joint sailing.

A grand reception was organised at the Kochi naval base which included traditional Kerala style welcome consisting of caprisoned elephant and beating drums.

The joint sailing of INS Tarangini and the Omani sail ship Shabab Oman from Muscat to Kochi was part of project "Mausam" of the Government of India.

Project Mausam seeks to retrace the historic trade route of the dhows between India and the countries surrounding north Arabian Sea.

The joint sailing also commemorates 60 years of diplomatic ties between India and Oman.

The two ships were received by a gallery of distinguished personnel from the Indian and Omani Navy and the Ambassador of the sultanate of Oman.

While INS Tarangini is a three masted braque tall ship commanded by Cdr Deepak Subramaniam, Shabab Oman is a full-rigged sail ship commanded by captain Saif Bin Nasser Bin Mohsin Al-Hahbi, which entered into the Royal Navy of Oman in August 2014.

She was built in Romania and launched in 2013.

The final touch-ups of the ship, like the fitting of her masts were done at Netherlands in January 2014.