VISAKHAPATNAM: The third inshore patrol vessel, Rani Durgavati, slided into the Bay of Bengal marking its launch today. It is the third of the five such vehicles being built by the Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) for the Indian Coast Guard. The vessel was launched by Shiela Singh, wife of Secretary of Defence Production RK Singh, at a function on the shipyard premises.
The HSL is building these vessels at a cost of Rs 231.19 crore. The other vessels will be delivered in July and the rest at an interval of two months.
Chairman-cum-Managing Director of HSL, Naresh Kumar, said these vessels, developed in coordination with the Coast Guard, would significantly add to the country’s coastal surveillance capability.
The shipyard could deliver a ship of IPV type every two months, he added.
RK Singh said the security scenario post-26/11 had warranted extensive patrolling and enhanced surveillance along the coast. IPV class of ships, with the required length and speed, were essential for quick deterrence, he added.
The government had approved a large fleet of vessels for induction into the Coast Guard.
These included offshore patrol vessels, fast patrol vessels and inshore patrol vessels and interceptor boats. By this financial year, the HSL will deliver five more tugs.
He said since the competition from other shipyards in the country was very high, the HSL should keep up with the time limit. Integrated development capacity and strategic requirement is needed in the field of defence, he added.