Article Posted on : - Apr 02, 2025

On April 1, 2025, Indian Navy women officers Lt Cdr Dilna K, right, and Lt Cdr Roopa A pose after the INSV Tarini enters Cape Town, South Africa, completing the fourth leg of the Navika Sagar Parikrama II expedition. Image credit: Navy/PRO via PTI Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) 'Tarini' carrying two women officers has entered Cape Town in South Africa, completing the fourth leg of the ambitious expedition, officials have said.

'Tarini' is undertaking the global circumnavigation journey under the Navika Sagar Parikrama (NSP) II, an Indian Navy expedition attempting a double-handed circumnavigation of the earth via the three Great Capes.

The vessel was flagged off from Goa on October 2 last year by Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.

"INSV Tarini entered Cape Town, South Africa, completing the fourth leg of the Navika Sagar Parikrama II expedition," a Navy spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"The vessel and the crew were welcomed by Ruby Jaspreet, Consul General of India at Cape Town, Rear Admiral (JG) Lisa Hendricks, Chief of Staff, South African Navy Fleet and the Defence Adviser of India at Pretoria, Captain Atul Sapahia," he said.

The South African naval band also performed welcoming the vessel to the port.

The NSP II expedition is being undertaken by two women officers of the Indian Navy -- Lt Cdr Dilna K and Lt Cdr Roopa A.

"The mission aims to cover more than 23,400 nautical miles (approximately 43,300 kilometers) in eight months, with a scheduled return to Goa in May 2025. The expedition has so far had three stopovers at Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand) and Port Stanley, Falklands (the UK)," the spokesperson said.

The vessel will be at Royal Cape Yacht Club for two weeks for scheduled maintenance and repairs.

The crew of the vessel will engage and interact with the South African Navy at Simon's Town Naval Base and Gordon's Bay Naval College. Community outreach events are also planned during their stay.

The vessel and its crew having encountered rough seas and extremely cold temperature, coupled with stormy weather conditions, made the task of circumnavigation highly challenging and demanding. The passage so far witnessed winds in excess of 50 knots (93 kmph) and waves up to 7 m (23 feet) high, the Navy spokesperson said.

The vessel is likely to depart Cape Town on April 15, he said.

The indigenously built INSV Tarini is a 56-foot sailing vessel, which was inducted in the Indian Navy in 2018 and has participated in many such expeditions earlier.