KOCHI (PTI): The sail training ship of Indian Navy INS Tarangini returned to its base at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi on Tuesday after a seven-month long voyage, covering 15 ports in 13 countries across the world.

A grand reception was accorded at the Kochi naval base with the Southern Naval Command Chief of Staff Rear Admiral R J Nadkarni receiving the ship at a welcoming ceremony, a Defence release said.

Captain Varun Singh, SC, Senior Officer First Training Squadron, and a number of senior officers, families of the crew and other distinguished guests also attended the event.

The voyage named "Lokayan 18" was flagged off on April 10 from Kochi and the ship had highlighted the diverse culture of India across 15 ports in 13 countries, the release said.

INS Tarangini sailed across the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean Sea, Strait of Gibraltar, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, English Channel and North Sea, right up to Norway before commencing her homeward passage.

It also participated in the culminating event of the 'Three Festival Tall Ships Regatta' at Bordeaux in France and the 'Tall Ships Races Europe 2018'.

During the regatta, the ship sailed along with hundreds of other sailing vessels, of which 200 were Tall Ships like herself, besides taking part in the parade of sails, conducted at various ports.

INS Tarangini, the first sail training ship of the navy, was commissioned on November 11, 1997 and in the 21 years of its glorious service till date, the ship has sailed over 2,20,000 nautical miles across the world's oceans.

Over the years, INS Tarangini has been extensively deployed for long voyages away from her base port of Kochi, which includes one circumnavigation of the globe (2003-04) and three previous 'Lokayans' (2005, 2007 and 2015), the release added.