JOIN USThe Indian Coast Guard Ship Vikram arrived in Mangaluru on Sunday.
The ship was commissioned by Union Minister of Defence for State Dr Subash Bhamre on April 11 at Chennai. ICGS Vikram has been designed and built by M/s Larsen and Toubro Ltd, Chennai.
This is the ‘first in class’ of seven new generation offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) contracted by Ministry of Defence (MoD) to L and T in March 2015, under the government’s initiative of ‘Make in India.’
The ship's keel was laid in March 2016 and the construction including trials and commissioning was completed in 25 months.
Commissioning of the indigenously designed and built ICGS Vikram was also rendered a befitting curtain-raiser to the “Make in India” theme during the recently conducted DEFEXPO - 2018, at Chennai.
The ship is 98 metres long, 15 metres wide, has a 3.6 metres draught. It has 2,140 tons displacement, a range of 5,000 Nautical Miles and can attain a sustained speed of 26 knots. It is built with Integrated Platform Management System to enable special control capabilities.
The ship has been fitted with the most advanced state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machinery.
It also features a 30 mm gun and 12.7 mm gun with FCS giving an edge to her fighting efficiency. The ship is also designed to carry one Twin Engine Light Helicopter and stage through of twin-engine heavy helicopter with night flying capabilities.
It also has the capability to carry pollution response equipment to contain oil spill contamination at sea.
Vikram which means ‘valour’, has a complement of 14 officers and 88 men is commanded by Commandant Rajkamal Sinha.
ICGS Vikram's arrival at Mangaluru is a major milestone in augmenting the maritime security of Karnataka.
The ship will enhance Indian Coast Guard's operational capabilities to discharge multifarious maritime tasks on western seaboard in general and the maritime states of Karnataka, in particular, said Commandant Gulwinder Singh.