MANGALURU: Indian Coast Guard Ship Vikram, the offshore patrol vessel that is going to be based at New Mangalore Port was formally welcomed on Sunday. In the welcoming ceremony, Coast Guard District commandant, Satwant Singh accepted a guard of honour after embarking on the ship.
ICGS Vikram will join the fleet of four Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV) namely ICGS Amartya, Kasturba Gandhi, Savitri Bai Phule, Rajdoot and the hovercraft squadron.
The ship is designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and stage through a twin engine heavy helicopter with night flying capabilities.
The ship is 98 metres long, 15 metres wide and can move in a range of 5,000 nautical miles and can attain a sustained speed of upto 26 knots, a press release said.
The ship is built with an integrated platform management system to enable special control capabilities, it said.
Vikram has been fitted with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machines, also featuring a 30-mm gun and a 12.7-mm gun.
The ship is also designed to carry a twin-engine light and heavy helicopters, as also a pollution response equipment to contain oil-spill in sea.
Vikram, meaning valour, has a crew of 14 officers and 88 men, all commanded by Rajkamal Sinha.
The arrival of Vikram in Mangalore would be a new milestone in increased maritime security of Karnataka, the release said.
(with PTI inputs)