20th fast patrol vessel delivered to Coast Guard

The Cochin Shipyard today delivered ICGS AYUSH, the 20th Fast Patrol Vessel, to theIndian Coast Guard, three months ahead of schedule.

With this, the Shipyard has completed construction of 20 Fast Patrol Vessel series for the Coast Guard.

Awarded the work of constructing 20 Fast Patrol Vessels on October 20, 2010, CSL delivered the first vessel in September 2013 and subsequently delivered vessels at about two months interval.

CSL started delivering vessels ahead of schedule from the 13th vessel onwards. "ICGS AYUSH, the 20th Fast Patrol Vessel, the last in the series (CSL Yard No BY 520) was delivered today, three months ahead of schedule," a CSL release said.
 

"The ceremony of first reading of D448 of the ship was held today at the CSL."

The protocol of delivery and acceptance was signed between Suresh Babu N V, Director (Operations), CSL and Commanding Officer (Designate) of the vessel Commandant (JG) Asheesh Sharma, in the presence of Madhu S Nair, Chairman and Managing Director, DIG Arun Shrivastav, PD (Mat), CGHQ, DIG G Devanand, CGRPS (KOC) and other senior officers of both CSL and Coast Guard, the release said.

These vessels are small in size when compared to the large vessels that CSL had been building.

CSL officials said designing and building these ships had posed challenges to the yard as these are extremely weight sensitive vessels.

All the vessels delivered have achieved speeds in excess of the contracted speed and surpassed the expectations of Indian Coast Guard with regard to performance, the release said.

The Fast Patrol Vessels help in securing Indian waters by patrolling within the Exclusive Economic Zone, coastal patrol, carrying out anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, search and rescue operations and for fisheries protection and monitoring. They will also play a secondary role of providing a communication link and escort coastal convoys in times of hostilities and war.

ICGS Ayush will be operated from the Coast Guard Station at Krishnapatanam During the current financial year CSL has delivered four Fast Patrol Vessels and one Deck Cargo / Jacket Launch Barge built for National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC) Abu Dhabi, the release added.