KOCHI: Juliet (J17, INS Sutlej), a Navy survey ship which has been part of many a navigational survey in and out of the country, turns 17 on February 19.
INS Sutlej, commanded by Rajesh Bargoti, is one of the two survey ships attached to the Southern Naval Command, the other being INS Sarvekshak.
She had played a major role in ensuring navigation safety across the Indian waters.
In her long career, J17 has many such surveys and other achievements to her credit.
She had taken part in surveys for the Vizhinjam Port, in Poovar river on the Kerala- Tamil Nadu border, survey for the ancient city (Pattanam) at Kodungalloor and is all set to be part of yet another survey for the Kollam harbour.
J17 was recently also chosen the best survey ship.
She even took part in an Indo-Pak joint survey along with Pakistani ship ‘Behar Paima’ in 2007. It was in 2009 that J17 unearthed the wreckage of ‘Margaret Rose’, a cargo carrier which sank off Gujarat way back in 1959. She was also part of Indian Navy’s Antarctica mission.
The ship, with about 15 officers and 120-150 sailors onboard, operates as a hospital during emergencies. It had played an active role in tsunami relief operations in 2004 and rescue services after the Gujarat earthquake.
J17 has Lt Commander Arun Mathew as the executive officer and Lt Commander Mathew G Abraham as senior hydrographic surveyor.
“Generally surveys are carried out for different purposes such as navigation, Defence requirements, scientific surveys and for project requirements. Surveys are based on instructions from the National Hydrographic Office in Dehradun. Currently Vice-Admiral B R Rao is the Chief Hydrographer to the Government of India, said Commander Bargoti.
(Rao had earlier served as commanding officer of Sutlej.) “The surveys are carried out through side-way scanning with sonars. The data collected from the surveys are compiled and published as navigation charts. Of late, the data is being converted into electronic format,” said Bargoti. The Hydrographic Office every year publishes the navigation charts. In addition, major findings are immediately released as navigational warnings.
The Navy has eight survey ships: INS Sandayak, the oldest one, Nirupak, Nirdeshak, Investigator, Jamuna (which had taken part in World War II), Sutlej, Darshak and Sarvekshak.