Article Posted on : - May 27, 2016

Indian Coast Guard ship 'Arush'. Photo: PIB.

KOCHI (PTI): The Indian Coast Guard ship 'Arush', the 17th in the series of 20 fast patrol vessels (FPVs), designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, was commissioned here on Thursday.

The ship was commissioned by the Coast Guard Commander (western seaboard) Additional Director General SPS Basra in the presence of the Commander Coast Guard Region (West) Inspector General K Natarajan and other senior dignitaries of the central and state governments.

According to Navy, the 50 metre indigenous FPV has a displacement of 421 tonnes and can achieve a maximum speed of 33 knots with an endurance of 1,500 nautical miles at an economical speed of 13 knots.

"It is equipped with state-of-the-art weaponry and advanced communication and navigational equipment which makes her an ideal platform for undertaking multifarious close-coast missions such as surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and medical evacuation," a Navy release said.

The special features of the ship include an integrated bridge management system (IBMS) and integrated machinery control system (IMCS), it said.

The ship has been named ICGS 'Arush', meaning "first ray of sun", and will be based at Porbandar under the administrative and operational control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (North West).

"The ship is commanded by Commandant Pramod Pokhriyal and has complement of four officers and 33 enrolled personnel," it said.

In his address during the commissioning ceremony, Basra termed the fast patrol vessels as "the work horses of coast guard".

The flag officer also dwelt upon the fast-paced development of the ICG and acknowledged the efforts of coast guard to face the emerging security challenges in the maritime domain.

He highlighted the importance of coastal security in view of the asymmetric threats from the sea and emphasised the need for synergy in cooperation amongst all stake holders to ensure maritime safety in face of nefarious designs.

"Indian Coast Guard will be a 150 ships/boats and 100 aircraft maritime force in the next few years. In addition to these operational assets, a coastal surveillance network is being established with 46 stations to ensure real time coastal surveillance," Basra said.